During the 2024 campaign season, Kamala Harris’s presidential team reportedly decided to step back from involving former President Joe Biden following an unexpected and widely criticized moment. While attending a 9/11 memorial event at a Pennsylvania firehouse, Biden was seen briefly wearing a red “Trump 2024” hat—a gesture caught on camera and quickly used by opponents.
The incident stunned Harris’s team, who viewed it as a damaging distraction. According to insiders, the campaign immediately scaled back Biden’s public involvement to avoid further confusion or controversy. While Biden had been expected to play a visible support role, that plan shifted as the campaign worked to refocus attention on Harris’s own leadership and vision.
The move marked a turning point in strategy, highlighting internal concerns about maintaining message discipline and avoiding any appearance of mixed signals during a critical election cycle.