DNC trolls Trump, Vance with digital projections on NYC’s Trump Tower ahead of debate

In a move intended to troll former President Donald Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance, ahead of the first and only vice presidential debate of 2024, the Democratic National Committee on Monday night is digitally projecting various phrases — including Vance previously calling Trump an “idiot” — onto Trump Tower in New York City.

The projections appeared just hours after Vance arrived at Trump Tower on Monday ahead of Tuesday night’s vice presidential debate with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz at the CBS Broadcast Center in Manhattan. 

“Vance on Trump: ‘What an idiot,'” one of the digital  projections says, referring to a Vance tweet from October 2016, when he wrote, “My god what an idiot,” about Trump — part of a slew of criticisms Vance has since said he regrets.

The DNC’s projections are also aimed at the former president for saying he won’t again debate Vice President Kamala Harris. Trump has said “it’s just too late, voting has already started,” but Democrats note that he participated in October debates in the last two election cycles. 

“Trump is a chicken!” says another message projected on Trump Tower, following Democrats sponsoring billboards near a Trump rally in battleground Pennsylvania last week with the same sentiment.

Harris told supporters at a rally in Las Vegas on Sunday night the campaign will be cheering “Coach Walz” on Tuesday. But despite that the debate is the last scheduled matchup of the 2024 cycle, she cautioned that “their debate should not be the last word.” 

With Democrats continuing to lean into Walz’s background as a high school social studies teacher and football coach, another projection reads, “Go Coach Walz!” 

Monday’s final message labels Trump Tower as “Project 2025 HQ,” a line the DNC also displayed on Chicago’s Trump International Hotel and Tower during the Democratic National Convention in August. 

The former president has sought to distance himself from the conservative blueprint overseen by the  Heritage Foundation for a second Trump term, calling it “Project 25” and saying he knows “nothing about it,” but Democrats continue to tie it to Trump and Vance.

DNC spokesperson  Abhi Rahman told CBS News on Monday that the projections are intended to grab the attention of the Republican ticket and remind Americans that Trump won’t agree to debate again. 

“As Vance takes the debate stage to attempt to make up for Trump’s own lackluster debate performance, these projections on Trump Tower NYC are a reminder that Trump and Vance are out for themselves while Trump remains afraid to go back on that debate stage and be held accountable by Vice President Harris for his failed record and his dangerous agenda,” Rahman said in a statement.

David Schwartz, a trial attorney in New York City, told CBS News it’s illegal to project digital signs in New York City for longer than 60 seconds without a permit.

“The Department of Buildings and the New York City code requires a permit, even for digital signs and animated signs. We have a very extensive sign law where you have to get a permit to put up a sign, but now, in the age of digital signs, the laws have been amended to include digital sign permits as well, as long as you’re keeping it up for over 60 seconds,” he said.

“It’s not like anyone’s going to go to jail over it, but it is punishable by a fine. And in this political season, maybe it’s just the cost of doing business,” Schwartz added.

Rahman, a spokesperson with the DNC, said they are aware of the law and complying with it because they’ll be rotating through individual messages which won’t be up for over 60 seconds.

CBS News will host the only planned vice presidential debate between Vance and Walz on Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET on CBS and CBS News 24/7. Download the free CBS News app for live coverage, post-debate analysis, comprehensive fact checks and more.