Trump vs Kamala debate highlights: After a handshake anger took over on abortion, immigration and economy
Kamala Harris and Donald Trump engage in historic showdown ahead of US presidential elections
Donald Trump and Kamala Harris engaged in one of the biggest showdowns in the history of US election history – the debate started with mutual respect and a handshake and soon entered into a phase of anger, aggression and speaking out of turn.
Harris tried to strike a tone of moderation and project politics into the future, trying to portray a persona of statesmanship whereas Trump used his narrative to bring back a line of attack he used effectively against Hillary Clinton right years ago.
After the debate Donald Trump stated the TV debate with Kamala Harris was the 'best debate he's ever had', adding that he had a "good time doing it".
Also Read: How to watch the debate tonight
Kamala vs Trump debate: Latest Developments
Harris stated, Trump ‘has no plan’ for healthcare
The former president slammed the Affordable Care Act (ACA), a piece of healthcare legislation passed under former President Barack Obama which runs largely on private insurance along with some subsidies and regulations.
But Trump said he would only repeal the ACA if he has a plan to make healthcare cheaper and better.
“We still do not have a plan. I have concepts of a plan. I’m not president right now,” he said.
Without any articulation Harris said she will continue to strengthen the Affordable Care Act, a signature piece of legislation from former Democratic President Barack Obama.
Trump has sought to repeal the act, which provides subsidised health insurance to US citizens. He has since been less clear on how he would approach the issue.
“You have no plan,” Harris said.
‘She is Biden’: Trump links Harris to her boss; she says am not
Trump claimed there's no distinction between Biden and Kamala, linking her to Biden administration troubles. "She is Biden. She’s trying to get away from Biden. ‘I don’t know the gentleman,’ she says," Trump remarked, taking a jab at the administration. "The worst inflation we’ve ever had – a horrible economy."
Harris quickly fired back, making it clear she’s not just an extension of Biden. "I am not Joe Biden, and I am certainly not Donald Trump," she asserted.
Harris went on to present herself as the face of a new generation of leadership, offering optimism and a fresh perspective: "What I do offer is a new generation of leadership for our country, one who believes in what is possible, one who brings a sense of optimism about what we can do, instead of always disparaging the American people."
Trump claims Harris ‘hates Israel’, ‘Israel will be gone within 2 years of her presidency’
The former president says Israel will cease to exist if Harris is elected president, without providing any evidence for his assertion.
Trump suggested that the war in Gaza would not have happened if he were president, falsely claiming that the Biden administration lifted sanctions on Iran.
“She hates Israel. At the same time, in her own way, she hates the Arab population because the whole place is going to get blown up — Arabs, Jewish people, Israel. Israel will be gone,” he said.
Capitol Hill violence: Trump defends his conduct, blames Nancy Pelosi
The former president says while he acknowledged protesters marching towards the Capitol before his supporters started a riot at the building on January 6, 2021, he told demonstrators to march “peacefully and patriotically”.
Trump added that the rioters have faced prosecution and jail sentences have been “treated so badly” by the justice system.
He even refuted his recent remarks in which he appeared to accept he lost the 2020 election, including a comment that he "lost by a whisker."
"I said that?" Trump said.
"Are you now acknowledging that you lost in 2020?" ABC News moderator David Muir asked.
"No I don’t acknowledge that at all," he said. "That was said sarcastically."
'I'm talking now': Trump calls back to Harris' debate line against Pence
As Trump accused Harris of supporting defunding the police, she was visibly mouthing "not true" despite her microphone being muted. Trump didn't miss it.
"I'm talking now. If you don't mind. Please. Does that sound familiar?" he shot back, referencing Harris' famous moment from the 2020 vice presidential debate when she told Mike Pence, "Mr. Vice President, I’m speaking," after he repeatedly interrupted her.
Trump has blamed Democrats for his assassination attempt
The former president has claimed that the Democrats’ rhetoric against him is what led the attempt on his life in July when he was shot in the ear.
“I probably took a bullet to the head because of the things that they say about me. They talk about democracy. ‘I’m a threat to democracy.’
"They’re the threat to democracy,” Trump said.
Trump calls criminal prosecutions against him as ‘fake cases'
The former president has said the multiple sets of criminal charges against him are politically driven by Democrats.
“They weaponised the Justice Department… They’re the ones that made them go after me,” he said.
Harris jumped on Trump’s claim that crime is proliferating under the Biden administration, despite federal data suggesting otherwise.
“I think this is so rich coming from someone who has been prosecuted for national security crimes, economic crimes election interference, has been found liable for sexual assault, and his next big court appearance is in November at his own criminal sentencing,” Harris said.
She referred to Trump’s New York conviction on federal falsifying business document charges.
“Let’s be clear where each person stands on the issue of what is important about respect for the rule of law and for law enforcement.”
Trump-Kamala face off over abortion ban
Donald Trump and Kamala Harris discussed abortion, with Harris claiming Trump is getting a National Abortion ban plan.
“I pledge to you when Congress passes a bill to put back in place the protections of Roe v Wade, as President of the United States, I will proudly sign it into law,” Harris said.
Trump has hailed the Supreme Court’s decision, which was made by several conservative justices he appointed.
The former president says the Supreme Court’s ruling overturning the right to abortion rightly brought the issue back to the states to regulate it.
“I am not signing a ban,” he said, adding that a national abortion ban is not needed.
He falsely argued that most legal scholars wanted abortions to be regulated at the state level.
Also Read: Kamala Harris says Donald Trump will sign a national abortion ban, former prez calls it a lie
Trump calls Kamala a Marxist
Trump is decrying what he describes as an influx of migrants coming into the US. He also baselessly called Harris a “Marxist”, invoking the vice president’s late father, whom he described as a “Marxist professor in economics”.
Trump argued that the fees he plans to impose on foreign imports will not raise prices in the US. “Who’s going to have higher prices is China and all of the countries that have been ripping us off for years,” Trump said.
He also argued that the tariffs he put in place as president worked because the Biden administration kept them in place.
Harris attacks Trump on China and Covid
Harris quickly pivoted away from Trump’s claim that the Biden administration kept many of his China tariffs and focused on his broader China policy, and how Trump responded to COVID-19.
“Let’s be clear that the Trump administration resulted in a trade deficit, one of the highest we’ve ever seen in the history of America,” Harris said.
“You want to talk about his deal with China? What he ended up doing is, under Donald Trump’s presidency, he ended up selling American chips to China to help them improve and modernise their military,” she said. “He basically sold us out when a policy about China should be in making sure the United States of America wins the competition for the 21st century.”
Harris claims Trump has no economic plan
Harris has just hit on a major theme of the night, accusing Trump of caring only about himself. She criticized him for cutting taxes for corporations and the wealthy while imposing more tariffs on ordinary Americans.
"Donald Trump actually has no plan for you, because he's more interested in defending himself than in looking out for you," Harris said. She emphasized her vision of an "opportunity economy" that puts the needs of everyday people first.
Project 2025 - Kamala invokes, Trump dismisses
Trump distances himself from Project 2025, the controversial right-wing playbook from the conservative Heritage Foundation. Democrats have been attempting to link him to the plan, calling it radical.
"Everybody knows what I’m going to do – cut taxes very substantially and create a great economy," Trump stated, brushing off the association.
Kamala-Trump shake hands before the historic debate
The Harris-Trump debate has begun The two candidates emerged on stage shortly after 9 p.m. to get things started. Harris walked to Trump's side of the stage to shake his hand.. It may be the one and only time Harris and Trump meet onstage, and their presidential debate is now underway.
ABC's virtual coin toss last week gave Trump the advantage, allowing him to choose the order of closing statements or his position on stage. Trump selected the final closing statement, leaving Harris to choose her spot on stage. She opted for the right side of viewers' screens.
The debate, moderated by ABC's David Muir and Linsey Davis, promises to be a high-stakes showdown.
For the next 90 minutes, Harris and Trump will be going one-on-on to make their arguments to American voters. They’ll be standing behind podiums about 6-8 feet apart in a small, blue-lit amphitheater.
As with the Biden-Trump debate earlier this summer, there’s no live audience in the room. That means that there will be no rowdy applause, cheers or jeers.
The debate is hosted by ABC News.
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