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War of words between Ossoff, Trump
An increasingly personal war of words between President Donald Trump and U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff is drawing national attention as Georgia's closely watched Senate campaign moves toward the November election.
ATLANTA - An increasingly personal war of words between President Donald Trump and U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff is drawing national attention as Georgia's closely watched Senate campaign moves toward the November election.
The latest exchange began after Ossoff, a Democrat seeking a second term, criticized Trump during a campaign rally in Atlanta on Sunday attended by more than 1,000 supporters.
Ossoff criticizes Trump's priorities
What they're saying:
Ossoff criticized several of Trump's priorities, including the president's White House ballroom project, and accused Trump of being more interested in personal pursuits than his presidential duties.
"He doesn't want to do the job. He wants to build his ballroom and travel with Natalie on their apparently defenseless flying palace gifted by the emir of Qatar," Ossoff said, referring to Trump's executive assistant, Natalie Harp.
RELATED: What to know about Natalie Harp, the Trump aide whom Ossoff put in the spotlight
Harp frequently accompanies Trump and assists with communications and social media, among other duties.
Trump and White House respond
The other side:
Trump was asked about Ossoff's comments Monday while taking questions in the Oval Office.
Rather than directly responding to Ossoff's criticism involving Harp, Trump mocked the Georgia senator's appearance.
"You mean Pee-wee Herman? Pee-wee Herman look-alike," Trump said, referring to the character portrayed by the late actor Paul Reubens.
RELATED: White House tears into Ossoff with brutal takedown after jab at key Trump aide: ‘Lightweight loser’
Trump then defended the White House construction project, saying the administration was building "a great facility" and renovating a White House that had not been properly maintained.
RELATED: Trump's approval rating falls to new low in latest poll
White House officials also responded to Ossoff on social media. Communications Director Steven Cheung called Ossoff a "radical, extremist Dumocrat," while White House spokesman Davis Ingle characterized the senator as a "feminine theatre kid."
The White House criticism focused in part on Ossoff's decision to mention Harp by name, with officials accusing him of unfairly targeting a White House employee.
Ossoff continues criticism
What we know:
Ossoff did not back away from his criticism of Trump.
During a Tuesday appearance with Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly in Columbus, Ossoff again attacked the president, this time while discussing Trump's previous conflict with Kelly, according to CNN.
"I don't think anything illustrates the times more aptly than that the draft-dodging, crook president ... tried to imprison this man, who embodies American heroism," Ossoff said.
Ossoff did not mention Harp during the Columbus event. Instead, he continued criticizing Trump's leadership and urged voters to compare the president's promises with the results of his administration.
The increasingly sharp rhetoric reflects a broader strategy by Ossoff, who has repeatedly targeted Trump while campaigning for reelection. Trump, meanwhile, has endorsed Collins, Ossoff's Republican challenger.
Georgia Senate race in the spotlight
What's next:
The exchange comes less than three months before voters decide one of the nation's most closely watched Senate races.
Ossoff is the only Democratic senator seeking reelection this year in a state Trump carried in the 2024 presidential election. Democrats view holding the Georgia seat as an important part of their effort to regain control of the Senate.
Recent polling has shown Ossoff ahead of Collins, although the size of his advantage varies by poll and political strategists expect the race to tighten as Election Day approaches.
With the campaign entering its final months, the back-and-forth between Ossoff and Trump has added another national dimension to a race already expected to draw significant attention and spending.
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