Former Vice President Kamala Harris faced swift backlash over the Fourth of July weekend after sharing a somber message on social media — one that critics say projected a grim outlook for America’s future and conspicuously cropped out former President Joe Biden.
Rather than celebrating the holiday with a unifying or patriotic message, Harris wrote on X (formerly Twitter):
This Fourth of July, I am taking a moment to reflect. Things are hard right now. They are probably going to get worse before they get better.
But I love our country — and when you love something, you fight for it. Together, we will continue to fight for the ideals of our nation. pic.twitter.com/pYxJVw0fiD
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) July 4, 2025
The accompanying photo, taken from the White House balcony, quickly drew attention not for what it showed — but for what it excluded. A visible elbow in the corner of the image suggested that former President Biden was cropped out of the frame, leading to widespread speculation and criticism.
I’m taking a moment to reflect on how much worse things would have been if you’d won.
— Seth Dillon (@SethDillon) July 4, 2025
Social media users accused Harris of hypocrisy and political opportunism. Many pointed out the irony of lamenting the state of the nation while ignoring her own role in the administration that presided over soaring inflation, record border crossings, and growing public distrust in government institutions.
“Things are hard right now” struck many as an odd message from someone who held one of the highest offices in the country until just months ago. Commenters also noted that Harris’s vague warning — that things are “probably going to get worse before they get better” — lacked any accountability or specific policy reference, and instead came off as a defeatist tone from someone attempting to distance herself from an administration she was instrumental in shaping.
Things are hard because YOU failed the American people.
You failed us in Western North Carolina.
You failed to keep the southern border closed.
Your failure is why things are hard.
You left your room a mess and Trump is cleaning it up.
Sit. Down.
— Matt Van Swol (@matt_vanswol) July 4, 2025
The Biden crop-out did little to quell those suspicions. Critics accused Harris of trying to signal a break from Biden in the wake of his declining approval and cognitive concerns — something she notably avoided during her failed 2024 campaign. At the time, she was unable to articulate what she would do differently from Biden when asked directly on national television.
Well, unemployment is low, the stock market is high, Iran’s nuclear program has been defanged, DEI is on the retreat, men can no longer compete in women’s’ sports and we have an actual border.
Sounds like things are pretty good right now.
God Bless America and Happy 4th of…
— Bill Herring (@BillHerringIII) July 4, 2025
Now, with Biden out of the picture — literally and politically — Harris appears to be pivoting. But the move may be too late to convince the public that she’s not just as responsible for the last four years.
