“We Fed Shapiro Oppo to the Media”: Trump’s Campaign Targeted Pennsylvania Governor Ahead of VP Pick
© REUTERS / RACHEL MUMMEY
In the days leading up to Kamala Harris’ selection of Tim Walz as her running mate, Donald Trump’s campaign sought to undermine Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, fearing his potential as a more moderate Democratic vice presidential candidate.
The Bulwark’s Marc Caputo reported Tuesday that Trump’s team formed a “de facto alliance with the enemy of its enemy”: the progressive left. An anonymous adviser to Trump revealed that they “amplified the leftists on Twitter” against Shapiro, providing opposition research to the media to create “more noise and discontent.”
“We fed Shapiro oppo [opposition research] to the media. We did what we could to create more noise and discontent,” the adviser stated, clarifying that they did not target Walz with the same intensity.
This strategic move led to increased criticism from the progressive left on some of Shapiro’s stances, such as his pro-Israel views, with the term “Genocide Josh” gaining traction on social media. The Trump team reportedly breathed a sigh of relief and even celebrated when Walz was chosen over Shapiro.
Despite the behind-the-scenes efforts to discredit him, Shapiro appeared undeterred, commanding a raucous crowd at Temple University in Philadelphia on Tuesday night as he campaigned for Harris. Chants of “G-S-D” erupted after Shapiro explained the meaning behind the acronym, which he described as one of his guiding principles.
“Y’all fill my heart,” Shapiro told the rally attendees. “And I love you so much. And I want you to know, every single day I go to work for you. I put my shoulder to the wheel. And I focus on three simple letters in our alphabet. G-S-D. I focus on getting s— done for all of you!”
Meanwhile, Walz showcased his humor and rhetorical skills at the rally, taking jabs at MAGA Republicans and using meme culture to criticize his GOP counterparts. “J.D. Vance literally — literally — wrote the foreword for the architect of the Project 2025 agenda,” Walz remarked, referencing Vance’s controversial book that disparages America’s “heartland.”
“I gotta tell you. I can’t wait to debate the guy,” Walz added, eliciting cheers from the audience. “That is, if he’s willing to get off the couch and show up.” The Harris-Walz ticket aims to capitalize on their combined experience and appeal to a wide range of voters, while the Trump campaign’s covert maneuvers reveal the high stakes and intense strategies at play in the upcoming election.
