Considering Kamala Harrisā€™s fitness to take over from Joe Biden should the need arise, a top aide to the former California senatorā€™s 2020 campaign said: ā€œThis person should not be president of the United States.ā€

Harris saw heavy staff turnover, with aides describing a toxic climate riven with factionalism and mismanagement. One source who worked for the vice-president declined to go on record or even discuss matters anonymously, due to the heated atmosphere around the office.

ā€œThey refused to characterise the experience of working for Harris, apart from offering a three-word assessment. It was, they said: ā€˜Game of Thronesā€™.ā€