In late August 2024, claims emerged on pro-Donald Trump and pro-Russia social media accounts alleging that Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, had adopted the slogan "Strength Through Joy" for her campaign. If true, this would have been controversial, as "Strength Through Joy" was a Nazi slogan. However, the claim is false, as reported by Snopes.
Harris did not use this slogan. The video evidence accompanying these claims did not show the U.S. Vice President or anyone connected to her using the phrase at any point.
This claim seems to have partly originated from video compilations showing Harris, her running mate Tim Walz, and media figures using the word "joy" in connection with her campaign.
Some of Trump's supporters noticed the use of the word "joy" and drew a connection to Nazi Germany. Among them was actor and pro-Trump figure Robert Davi, who, on August 16, 2024, shared a video on Instagram claiming that the Harris campaign had adopted the slogan "strength through joy."
Another account on X, associated with the website Now the End Begins, shared the same claim. The supposed evidence of Harris using the motto was merely a compilation of headlines containing the words "joy" and "joyful."
What Does 'Strength Through Joy' Mean
"Strength Through Joy" was a Nazi Party slogan. It was the motto of the German Labor Front, a Nazi organization that replaced labor unions during the Third Reich.
However, beyond the shared use of the common term "joy," there is no connection between this slogan and the Harris campaign.
Since the Nazi Party does not have exclusive ownership of the word "joy," and because neither the Democratic Party nor the Harris campaign is using the slogan "Strength Through Joy," this claim is "False."
