In her first major interview since launching her 2024 presidential campaign, Vice President Kamala Harris faced tough questions about her shifting stances on key policy issues. Despite a track record of changing positions on matters like border security and fracking, Harris insisted that her core values have remained consistent.

The interview, which was pre-taped and aired on Thursday, featured Harris alongside her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. CNN anchor Dana Bash didn’t shy away from pressing Harris on her past flip-flops, asking how voters should interpret the changes she’s made over the years. Bash posed a pointed question: “Is it because you have more experience now and you have learned more about the information? Is it because you were running for president in a Democratic primary? And should they feel comfortable and confident that what you’re saying now is going to be your policy moving forward?”

Harris responded by emphasizing that, while her policies may have evolved, her underlying values have not. “I think the most important and most significant aspect of my policy perspective and decisions is my values have not changed,” she stated. Harris pointed to the environment as an example, reaffirming her commitment to addressing the climate crisis, a position she claims has been consistent throughout her career.

“MY VALUES HAVE NOT CHANGED”: Kamala Harris confirms she’s still her Radical Left self who supports decriminalizing illegal immigration, the job-killing Green New Deal, eliminating private health insurance, banning fracking, and so much more. pic.twitter.com/gJYBduk3UH

— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) August 29, 2024

“You mentioned the Green New Deal. I have always believed, and I have worked on it, that the climate crisis is real, that it is an urgent matter,” Harris explained. She referenced her work on the Inflation Reduction Act as evidence of her commitment to setting and achieving goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

However, Harris’s claims of consistency were quickly challenged. As the Biden administration’s “border czar,” she has faced widespread criticism for failing to address the ongoing crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border. Yet, she maintained that her values regarding border security have not wavered, citing her experience as California’s Attorney General prosecuting transnational criminal organizations as proof of her dedication to securing the border.

The interview did little to quell skepticism from her critics. Former President Donald Trump’s campaign was quick to pounce on Harris’s remarks, highlighting what they see as a disingenuous attempt to paint herself as consistent. Through its “War Room” account on X (formerly Twitter), the Trump campaign accused Harris of “confirming she’s still her Radical Left self” and pointed out her previous support for policies like decriminalizing illegal immigration, endorsing the Green New Deal, and banning fracking.

The Trump campaign’s critiques didn’t stop there. They drew attention to Harris’s shifting stance on fracking and cash bail, as well as her handling of the border crisis. The campaign accused her of allowing millions of undocumented immigrants to enter the country, granting them amnesty, and enabling them to “terrorize our communities.” In a more lighthearted jab, the campaign mocked Harris’s comments on climate change, comparing them to a student desperately trying to meet a word count on an essay due in ten minutes.

Harris’s attempt to reassure voters of her consistency may have fallen flat, especially among those already skeptical of her record. The contrast between her rhetoric and her actions will likely continue to be a focal point as the 2024 campaign progresses.