Donald Trump’s former White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham made an appearance at the Democratic National Convention, where she received cheers as she lashed out at her former boss in a scathing speech.
“I saw it when the cameras were off. Behind closed doors, Trump mocks his supporters, calls them ‘basement dwellers,'” she said. “When people were dying in the ICU, (Trump) was furious that the cameras weren’t looking at him. He has no empathy. He has no morals. He’s not true to the truth.”
Grisham told DailyMail.com after her speech that it was “surreal” to speak at the convention among thousands of Democrats.
“Everyone has been very welcoming and it’s been great,” she said. “I was very scared, I’m not going to lie.”
Grisham served as chief of staff and press secretary to former first lady Melania Trump, as well as White House press secretary and communications director during the Trump administration.
He learned he would be speaking at the convention five days ago, he told DailyMail.com.
Former White House Press Secretary in the Trump administration Stephanie Grisham spoke at the Democratic National Convention on Tuesday
Following the attack on the US Capitol on January 6, he resigned from the Trump administration. He addressed his decision in his convention speech.
“On January 6th, I asked Melania if we could at least tweet that while peaceful protest is a right for all Americans, there is no place for lawlessness and violence,” Grisham said. “She responded with one word: ‘No.’”
“That day I became the first senior staff member to resign. I could no longer be a part of this madness,” Grisham added.
Grisham was one of several Republicans who appeared at the Democratic National Convention on the second night, as Harris’ campaign tries to reach out to both parties in its effort to win over the GOP’s voter base.
The former Trump official spoke about how close she was in the past to the Republican presidential candidate and his family.
“I wasn’t just a Trump supporter. I was a true believer, one of his closest advisers. The Trump family became my family,” she recalled. “I spent Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas at Mar-a-Lago.”
Grisham with former President Donald Trump aboard Air Force One on August 7, 2019
Grisham spoke during her speech about how she resigned from the Trump administration after the January 6 attack. She said she would vote for Kamala Harris and claimed that she “tells the truth.”
“He used to tell me, ‘It doesn’t matter what you say, Stephanie. Say it enough and people will believe you.’ But it does matter what you say and what you don’t say,” she told the crowd.
While serving as White House press secretary, Grisham never held a press conference. Trump campaign officials harshly criticized her in response to her convention speech.
“That’s yet another milestone on her record as White House press secretary, when she did not hold a single press conference while in office,” wrote Tim Murtaugh, who worked on Trump’s 2020 campaign and recently rejoined the 2024 campaign.
During her speech, Grisham spoke about her time in the White House.
“When I was press secretary, I was criticized for never having a press conference at the White House. That’s because, unlike my boss, I never wanted to get up on that podium and lie,” she said.
“Now, here I am: behind a podium, defending a Democrat because I love my country more than my party,” he continued.
“Kamala Harris is telling the truth. She respects the American people and she has my vote,” Grisham concluded.
“I’m still very much a Republican,” she told DailyMail.com, but said the election was too important.