Donald Trump’s political team has been rigorously preparing for a potential matchup against Vice President Kamala Harris for several weeks. This preparation has gained substantial momentum following President Joe Biden's recent announcement of his withdrawal from the presidential race, which has moved from speculative strategy to a concrete reality with Biden’s endorsement of Harris as his successor.

Richard Grenell, a former U.S. ambassador to Germany and acting director of national intelligence under Trump, has expressed notable enthusiasm about Biden’s endorsement of Harris. Grenell emphasized that Harris, despite her prominence in California politics, has not been thoroughly vetted on a national stage. “As we know in California, she has never been vetted. … Kamala Harris is a product of this whole system. She’s very far left, unvetted and untested,” Grenell asserted.

In the immediate aftermath of Biden’s announcement, a significant number of high-profile Democrats, including potential rivals, rallied behind Harris, making her the presumptive Democratic nominee. Despite the lack of formal confirmation, Harris’s consolidated support positions her as a frontrunner for the nomination.

Trump’s campaign and the broader Republican establishment had anticipated this development and have been strategizing accordingly. The recent Republican National Convention in Milwaukee was marked by a concentrated barrage of attacks against Harris. Unlike previous conventions where the opposing candidate was heavily scrutinized, Trump’s acceptance speech was notable for its minimal direct references to Biden, mentioning the president only once in passing. This contrasts sharply with Trump’s 2020 convention speech, where Biden was referenced over 40 times.

Trump himself weighed in on the situation, stating, “Joe Biden is the worst president in the history of the United States by far. We will fix what he has done. He should never have been there in the first place.” This statement underscores Trump’s narrative of Biden’s presidency as a profound failure, setting the stage for contrasting his own vision against Harris’s candidacy.

Harris, who previously served as a U.S. senator from California, has acknowledged the need to “earn and win” the Democratic nomination. Despite this, she remains the only declared candidate and is expected to have a considerable advantage in securing the nomination. “I think we all knew it was going to happen,” commented a Trump adviser, suggesting that the campaign’s early preparations have positioned them strongly for the upcoming contest.

The Trump campaign’s messaging strategy centers around three primary attacks. First, they aim to portray Harris as complicit in what they frame as a cover-up of Biden’s cognitive decline. “I think they have to drive home the point that Kamala Harris was the No. 1 enabler in the cover-up of President Biden’s mental decline,” explained Tricia McLaughlin, a Republican strategist and adviser to businessman Vivek Ramaswamy’s 2024 campaign.

Second, Republicans will emphasize Harris’s early tenure as “border czar,” a term used to describe her role in addressing the migrant crisis from Central America. This designation has been increasingly used to criticize her handling of the situation and was prominently featured in speeches during the Republican convention. The Republican National Committee also released an ad reinforcing this critique.

Lastly, Trump’s campaign will argue that senior Democrats, in pushing Biden out of the race, have disregarded the democratic process and the will of primary voters. This argument is designed to challenge the Democratic Party’s legitimacy and portray the maneuver as elitist and undemocratic. Alabama GOP Chairman John Wahl criticized the maneuver, stating, “This move showcases their elitist mentality and their complete and utter disregard for the voice and will of the American people during the primary election process.”

Pro-Trump super PAC MAGA Inc. is expected to promptly update its advertisements to focus on Harris, emphasizing her alleged role in the cover-up of Biden’s failures. MAGA Inc. CEO Taylor Budowich commented on the strategy, noting that Harris is perceived as less accomplished and less likable compared to previous Democratic figures such as Hillary Clinton. “While the Democrats navigate this new chaos of their own creation, MAGA Inc. will expose her cover-up and failures that have left our nation suffering,” Budowich stated.

David Bossie, a Trump adviser and representative to the Republican National Committee, reinforced the argument that Harris is responsible for the perceived failures of the Biden administration. “Many Democrats and those in the White House press pool owe America an apology,” Bossie declared. “This has been a cover-up for years, and Kamala Harris owns it.”

Moreover, Trump’s campaign plans to link Harris to unpopular policies from the Biden administration, particularly in areas such as the economy and immigration. “The Biden-Harris administration is the worst in American history,” Bossie argued. “Their policies created carnage on the southern border, created chaos across the economy, and an inflation monster. They have the worst record, and you can’t just put lipstick on a pig.”

Jason Miller, a senior adviser to Trump, emphasized that the campaign is fully prepared for any challenges posed by Harris’s candidacy. “We’ve polled, we’ve done the research, we have the ads cut. We’re completely ready to go. This campaign is ready for anything that the Democrats throw at us,” Miller said. He highlighted that Harris’s association with the Biden administration’s failures will be a central focus of their strategy.

The 2024 race has been marked by significant fluctuations, from Biden’s initial position as a slight favorite to the challenges he faced following Trump’s criminal conviction and Biden’s poor debate performance. The assassination attempt on Trump in July further energized his base, leading into the Republican National Convention with heightened momentum.

With Biden’s departure, some Democrats hope that moving on from his candidacy will revitalize the party’s prospects. Democrats have already experienced a surge in small-dollar donations, raising $27.5 million in the first five hours after Biden’s announcement, according to ActBlue. Justin Day, a prominent Democratic fundraiser, noted that the change in leadership could mobilize additional donors. “Focus has shifted back to beating Trump,” Day observed.

Polling data indicates that Harris, like Biden, is currently trailing Trump by narrow margins. However, some Democrats view Harris as a more dynamic and relatable alternative to Biden, potentially improving their standing in the race. Trump’s campaign, meanwhile, is preparing for a rigorous contest, fully anticipating and strategizing for the battle against Harris, should she become the official Democratic nominee.