Former President Trump said Friday he was “surprised” that Vice President Kamala Harris skipped the 79th Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner, calling it a “terrible” decision by the Democratic nominee.

“I thought it was great, you know, it was for the Catholic Church… a lot of good people, a lot of good causes and unusually enough she didn’t show up. You would think she would have shown up last night,” Trump said during a in-studio performance on ‘FOX & Friends’.

“We were all surprised,” Trump added.

TRUMP TAKES JABS TO HARRIS DURING KEYNOTE AT AL SMITH DINNER, PROMISES TO CORRECT ‘SERIOUS PROBLEMS’ IN US

Former US president and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump raises his fist as he and his wife Melania Trump attend the 79th annual Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner at the Hilton Midtown in New York, October 17, 2024. (Getty Images)

The Al Smith Dinner was launched in 1946 and has raised millions of dollars for charities that support women and children. It has since become a political and cultural hallmark of election seasons, but Harris surprised many by skipping the bipartisan political event that typically adds a bit of levity to the campaign trail during each presidential election cycle.

“I think it was terrible that she missed it because… only one person has missed it in many years and that’s Walter Mondale and he lost 49-1,” Trump said, referring to how the Democrat only lost in 1984. won one state in his career. one-sided defeat.

Fox & Friends co-host Brian Kilmeade asked Trump why he believes Harris skipped the event historically attended by candidates from both parties.

“I don’t think she’s competent. I don’t want to say these things, but we can’t live with this,” Trump said.

“I don’t think she’s funny,” he added. “We can’t have her as president, she is a Marxist. We are not ready for a Marxist.”

MONTAGE: TRUMP MAKES JOKE DURING AL SMITH DINNER IN NEW YORK CITY

Former President Trump said Friday he was “surprised” that Vice President Kamala Harris skipped the Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation’s 79th dinner. (Getty Images)

Trump also mocked Harris’ decision when he spoke at the event.

“I have to say I was shocked when I heard Kamala was skipping the Al Smith dinner. I was really hoping you would come because we can’t get enough of hearing her beautiful laugh. She laughs like crazy” , Trump joked. .

“If you really wanted Vice President Harris to accept your invitation, you should have told her the money would save the looters and rioters in Minneapolis, and then she would have been guaranteed here. She would have been guaranteed,” Trump also joked, citing Harris’ promotion of a bail fund during the 2020 riots.

The dinner is named after the first Catholic presidential candidate, Al Smith, who was the 42nd governor of New York. He ran for president in 1928 as a Democrat. Harris’ criticism of the historic Catholic charity event irritated New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan, the dinner’s host, on his podcast earlier this week.

COMEDIAN JIM GAFFIGAN TAKES SURPRISING SHOTS AT HARRIS FOR SKIPPING ‘CATHOLIC MET GALA’

“This year will be uneven because unfortunately Kamala Harris is not coming,” Dolan said on his podcast on Tuesday. “It’s a shame because the nature of the evening is to bring people together. The nature of the evening is civility, patriotism and humor. It’s not a campaign speech. It’s not a campaign stop.”

Other attendees at the event include Attorney General Letitia James – an outspoken critic of Trump who labeled him a “con man” when he campaigned for the AG job in 2018 – former New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, leader of the majority in the Senate Chuck Schumer, Governor . Kathy Hochul et al.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Harris campaign for comment on sending a pre-recorded video message for the event, but did not receive a response. The campaign previously told Fox News that Harris was skipping the event to focus on campaigning in the state of Wisconsin on Thursday.

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