GEOFF BENNETT: And joining us now from former President Trump's rally in Harrisburg is Laura Barron-Lopez.

Laura, thanks so much for being with us.

And, look, as we saw, Donald Trump started his day in Chicago for what was an at times tense Q&A at the National Association of Black Journalists convention.

How is his campaign responding to the criticism he's now facing for his comments about Vice President Harris' racial identity?

And what did his comments reveal about how he is approaching running against Harris, instead of President Biden?

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Geoff, former President Donald Trump, as well as his campaign, are defending themselves and their -- the way he is going after Kamala Harris, despite the fact that some Republicans in his party think that they should refrain from talking about her race and refrain from attacks calling her a DEI hire.

But, largely, Geoff, Trump's campaign has not changed its strategy when it comes to its attacks on Kamala Harris.

They are using a lot of the same attacks that they would use on President Joe Biden, namely attacking her on her immigration record, as well as on inflation.

One big difference, though, is that they are -- Donald Trump is trying to define Kamala Harris as being much more to the left of Joe Biden on issues like climate and guns.

But I talked to two Republican sources today, Geoff, one who is close to Trump's world who said that he believes that the campaign is still struggling to figure out how to undercut the momentum that Kamala Harris has right now.

And another GOP strategist in a swing state told me that they think that the campaign has not found their footing against Harris and that strategist admitted that it really feels like Obama-level enthusiasm for Harris right now.

GEOFF BENNETT: Hmm.

Well, this is Donald Trump's first rally back in Pennsylvania after that assassination attempt.

You have been talking to his supporters today.

What have they told you?

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Multiple voters that I saw spoke to here, Geoff, said that they wanted to be here because of the fact that it was his first rally here since the assassination attempt.

And like a number of Trump allies and some Republican lawmakers, the voters that I spoke to here echoed conspiracy theories about the assassination attempt, including two voters that I spoke to from nearby Pennsylvania counties.

BARBARA BARTHOLOMEW, Trump Supporter: It was all rigged.

I can't understand how the Secret Service left all that evidence slide by them.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Rigged by whom?

BARBARA BARTHOLOMEW: I think it was rigged by the Democrats.

THOMAS COWAN, Trump Supporter: I really, firmly believe -- I'm not a conspiracy person at all, but I believe the Secret Service is covering up a lot of stuff and, I think somebody should come and pay the price.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: We heard a lot of that from voters here, Geoff.

We also heard -- voters also told me that they believed the lie from Donald Trump that 2024, in addition to 2020, is going to be a rigged election.

And when it comes to the policy issues, a number of them said that border security, immigration, as well as the economy are their main issues.

And when I asked them about Vice President Kamala Harris becoming the likely Democratic nominee, they said that they didn't think Harris would be harder for Donald Trump to beat than Joe Biden, and they weren't necessarily concerned about her becoming the Democratic nominee.

GEOFF BENNETT: Laura, what about Donald Trump's running mate, J.D.

Vance?

How were his supporters, at least those folks in Pennsylvania, in Harrisburg, that you spoke to today, how are they responding to that?

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Well, despite the fact that J.D.

Vance has been criticized lately and Democrats have been attacking him specifically about his comments about the government being run by childless women and questioning whether people who don't have children actually have a stake in the future of the country, a lot of the voters here either said that they didn't know much about J.D.

Vance, that the jury was still out.

And others said that they were - - like this voter from New York, said that they were looking to trust Donald Trump on his pick.

DAWN LUCHMEE, Trump Supporter: I didn't know too much about J.D.

Vance.

I'm doing my research.

I don't take anybody for face value anymore.

There's a lot of RINOs out there.

And I'm just hoping that President Trump is working from a higher place, and he picked the best man for the job.

And, like I said, the verdict is still out, as far as I'm concerned.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: So, a lot of the voters here didn't necessarily think that J.D.

Vance was the drag on the ticket, but that GOP source that I spoke to earlier, Geoff, did say, and other Republican sources that I have talked to, think that J.D.

Vance could ultimately harm Donald Trump.

GEOFF BENNETT: Meantime, Laura, Donald Trump is trying to distance himself from Project 2025.

This is this blueprint for a second Trump term.

The architect of that proposal, a guy named Paul Dans, he was reportedly pushed out of the conservative Heritage Foundation by the Trump team.

Bring us up to speed and give us a reality check here.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Donald Trump's campaign yesterday, Geoff, said that -- claimed again that they have nothing to do with Project 2025, and they said that Project 2025's demise would be -- quote -- "greatly welcomed."

But Project 2025 isn't going anywhere, Geoff.

And Heritage Foundation's Kevin Roberts issued a statement saying that - - quote -- "Project 2025 was built for any future administration to use.

Project 2025 will continue our efforts to build a personnel apparatus for policymakers of all levels, federal, state, and local."

And that last part there is key, Geoff, because a lot of the leaders that were in charge of crafting Project 2025, including Paul Dans, said over and over again that this blueprint was created so, that way, conservative warriors could then be ready to enter into a second Trump administration.

And a lot of the people that authored Project 2025 worked in Donald Trump's administration, Geoff.

GEOFF BENNETT: Laura Barron-Lopez covering a Trump rally in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, tonight.

Laura, thanks so much.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Thank you.