Former Vice President Kamala Harris was set to make a surprise appearance at this evening’s Oscars—then plans changed at the last minute.
As the red carpet began, Deadline reported that security had been heightened at the Academy Awards in anticipation of Harris’s appearance. “We live in a new evolving security environment,” a federal official told the outlet. “The expected attendance of the former vice president is a major factor in the added security.”
Later, the outlet revealed that security concerns led Harris to stay home instead. Harris and her team made the decision to skip the Oscars this afternoon for “a variety of reasons,” Deadline wrote. Her husband shared a photo of her preparing for their Oscar viewing party at home instead:
The Oscars would’ve marked one of the most high-profile events Harris attended since President Donald Trump took office. She also appeared at the NAACP Image Awards on February 22, where she was honored:
Harris’s last major speaking engagement was on November 6, when she gave her 2024 election concession speech at Howard University.
Harris told the crowd at the time, “The outcome of this election is not what we wanted, not what we fought for, not what we voted for, but hear me when I say: The light of America’s promise will always burn bright, as long as we never give up and as long as we keep fighting.”
The Democratic presidential nominee added, “While I concede this election, I do not concede the fight that fueled this campaign. The fight for freedom, for opportunity, for fairness, and the dignity of all people. A fight for the ideals at the heart of our nation, the ideals that reflect America at our best. That is a fight I will never give up.”
She told the crowd broadly, “To everyone who is watching, do not despair. This is not a time to throw up our hands; this is a time to roll up our sleeves. This is the time to organize, to mobilize, and to stay engaged for the sake of freedom and justice and the future that we all know we can build together.”
