Donald Trump continued his habit of describing himself as a “protector” of women on Wednesday night in Wisconsin, when he declared that he would protect them “whether the women like it or not” if he wins a second term in the White House .

“I said, ‘Well, I’m going to do it whether the women like it or not,’” Trump said. “I’m going to protect them.”

The rhetorical addition was denounced by the Harris campaign as an issue of reproductive rights and broader concerns about gender roles and autonomy under a possible Trump administration.

“Donald Trump believes he should make decisions about what you do with your body,” Vice President Kamala Harris said in a social media post. “Whether you like it or not.”

A Harris campaign spokesperson, Sarafina Chitika, added that Trump “thinks he knows better than the women of America.” Another spokesperson called the comment the defining line of the Trump campaign.

Dozens of claims of sexual misconduct have been made against the Republican candidate over the years, including a new allegation last week. Trump denies them all. Last year, a judge ruled that a rape allegation against Trump was largely true.

Trump campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt responded: “Harris may be the first female vice president, but she has implemented dangerous liberal policies that have left women worse off financially and far less safe than they were four years ago under President Trump.”

Trump made the comments in Wisconsin, where he arrived at a rally in a white garbage truck dressed as a sanitation worker, in a stunt intended to draw attention to comments by Joe Biden that Republicans have interpreted as mentioning Trump supporters ‘garbage’. Biden has clarified that he was referring to comments made by a podcaster who made a series of blatantly racist jokes, including about Black people, Latinos and Jews, during a Trump rally at Madison Square Garden on Sunday.

Trump told the crowd Wednesday that his advisers had advised him not to describe himself as a “protector” for women.

“They said, ‘Sir, I just think it’s inappropriate for you to say that.’ I pay these guys a lot of money; Can you believe it?” Trump said.

“I said, ‘Well, I’m going to do it whether the women like it or not. I’m going to protect them. I’m going to protect them from the arrival of migrants. I’m going to protect them from foreign countries that want to hit us with missiles and much more.’”

Trump started talking about himself as a “protector of women” at a September rally when he said, “I am your protector.” I want to be your protector. As president, I must be your protector. I hope you don’t make too much of it. I hope the fake news isn’t, “Oh, he wants to be their protector.” Well, that’s me. As president, I must be your protector.”

Polls show that Trump is trailing behind Harris among female voters, while he is leading among men.

Harris has made reproductive rights central to her campaign after Trump appointed three conservative justices to the Supreme Court, who promptly overturned the right to abortion, a feat Trump often takes credit for.