On Tuesday, former President Donald Trump met with his staunch Latino supporters at his Doral golf club in Miami, but what was intended to be a roundtable discussion with Latino leaders quickly turned into a series of enthusiastic speeches from his loyal backers. The event featured Trump making familiar, lengthy complaints, filled with grievances and barbs, rather than addressing the pressing issues facing Latino communities.

In contrast, Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump’s opponent in the upcoming election on November 5, also reached out to Latino voters, emphasizing economic opportunities for Latino men during her interview with Telemundo.

Much of Trump’s dialogue seemed disconnected from the concerns of Latino voters. He claimed to be leading in polls among this demographic, despite evidence to the contrary. His comments on immigration were largely repetitive, touting unverified assertions that foreign nations, particularly Venezuela, were sending “violent gang members” and drug dealers to the U.S. with military-grade weapons. His focus on business owners present was vague, primarily sticking to promises of continuing the tax cuts from his administration. “We gave you the biggest cut in taxes in the history of the country,” he declared. “We have a great foundation to build on, so we have a lot of companies coming in very fast.”

Polling data shows Trump currently trails Harris among Latino voters in key battleground states. A recent poll from Voto Latino, shared by The Hill, indicated that Harris holds a 56-31 national preference among the 36 million eligible Latino voters.

During her Telemundo interview, Harris highlighted the economy, stating her determination to bolster community banks to help Latino men secure small business loans. “We need to construct a strong economy that supports the working class,” she said. She acknowledged the challenges Hispanic men face in securing loans due to lack of connections and systemic hurdles. “I’m focused on finding ways to increase capital for community banks that fully understand the community,” she articulated.

Harris also mentioned her plans to double the number of registered apprenticeships, simplify job requirements in federal employment by removing the necessity of a college degree, and propose forgivable loans of up to $20,000 for one million small businesses.

The contrasting strategies from both campaigns raise a significant question: will new policy proposals under Harris or the memories of Trump’s presidency resonate more effectively with Latino voters? Notably, there are signs that Trump is gaining traction; current NBC News polling indicates that the Democratic edge among Latino voters has dipped to its lowest in four election cycles.

On Tuesday, Trump again directly addressed the Latino bloc, promising to discuss the election and take questions from the press, although he ended up fielding none. This avoided a repeat of last week’s missteps during a town hall hosted by Univision, where he sidestepped tough questions on immigration.

His audience, largely composed of pre-screened loyalists at Trump National Doral, showed little concern for the lack of a two-way dialogue, responding enthusiastically to his barbs. Trump called Harris “a stupid person” and slammed her as Joe Biden’s “border tsar” while pivoting to a diatribe against Democrats for allowing transgender athletes to compete in women’s sports.

Adding to the fervor, Robert Unanue, president of Goya Foods and a vocal supporter of Trump, praised him for his courage and love for the country. Similarly, Joel Garza, a multi-franchise owner, stated that they needed Trump back in office to assist with banking and reduce regulations.

As the event drew to a close, a group of religious leaders prayed over Trump, with Ramiro Peña, a significant Latino evangelical figure, appealing to a higher power for Trump’s success. Honduran televangelist Guillermo Maldonado concluded by asserting that Trump is destined to prevail, framing the election as a battle between good and evil. “We’re going to pray for the will of God to make him the 47th president,” he declared.