US Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump squared off on Tuesday in their first and likely only debate before the November 5 election. The debate, which stretched over 90 minutes, leaned more on personal attacks than substantive policy discussions.
Trump attempted to frame Harris as a far-left “Marxist” who would implement open-border policies and confiscate guns. He also insinuated Harris might have been involved in assassination attempts against him, referring to the July incident when a shooter shot him in the ear at a Pennsylvania rally. “I probably took a bullet to the head because of the things they say about me,” Trump claimed, also accusing Harris of harboring authoritarian tendencies.
Harris, distancing herself from the Biden administration, positioned herself as a fresh alternative. “I’m not Biden, and I’m certainly not Donald Trump. What I offer is a new generation of leadership,” she said.
Throughout the debate, Harris aimed to provoke Trump, lacing her responses with digs that seemed designed to unsettle the former president. She suggested that world leaders don’t take him seriously and noted military leaders have called him a “disgrace.” Harris also gained a boost when pop star Taylor Swift publicly endorsed her, a move expected to energize her voter base.
On foreign policy, the candidates sparred over the ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine. Trump accused Harris of “hating Israel” and warned that under her leadership, the region would be destroyed. “Israel will be gone — Arabs, Jewish people, everyone,” Trump claimed, while also falsely asserting the Biden administration had lifted sanctions on Iran.
Harris reaffirmed her support for a ceasefire in Gaza and advocated for a two-state solution. “Israel has a right to defend itself, but how it does so matters. Too many innocent Palestinians, including children and mothers, have been killed. This war must end,” she stated.
Ukraine became another point of division. Trump argued for ending the war through negotiations, while Harris emphasized continued support for Ukraine’s fight against Russia. “It’s in the US’s best interest to end this war and negotiate a deal,” Trump said, blaming the Biden administration’s “weak leadership” for allowing the invasion. Harris, in turn, criticized Trump’s lack of commitment to Ukraine, asserting that if he were still in office, Putin would have already taken Kyiv. “Our NATO allies are relieved you’re no longer president,” she added, accusing Trump of favoring surrender.
On domestic issues, abortion emerged as a major flashpoint. Trump defended the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, falsely claiming that both Republicans and Democrats supported the ruling. “I did a great service by making it happen. It took courage,” he said. Trump also denied knowledge of Project 2025, even though 81% of the far-right text was authored by his administration. In addition, he also inaccurately stated that some states allow abortions after birth, a claim immediately corrected by ABC moderator Linsey Davis.
Harris expressed outrage over the idea that states should control abortion access, citing restrictive bans that have denied emergency care to women. “Is this what people wanted?” she asked. “People being denied emergency care because healthcare providers fear being jailed?”
When asked if he would veto a federal abortion ban, Trump insisted that such a ban would never pass.
Late in the debate, the conversation shifted to race. Trump addressed previous remarks where he questioned Harris’ identity as a Black and South Asian woman. “I don’t care what she is,” Trump said. “I read she was Black, then I read she wasn’t Black.”
Harris accused Trump of using race to divide Americans throughout his career. She referenced his history of racial discrimination, from accusations of turning away Black renters in the 1970s to his role in the public outcry against five Black and Latino teenagers wrongfully convicted in the 1989 Central Park jogger case. She also reminded viewers of Trump’s promotion of the birther conspiracy, which questioned President Barack Obama’s American citizenship.
“It’s tragic that someone running for president has consistently used race to divide this country,” Harris said. “Americans deserve better. We don’t need a leader who pits us against each other.”
Trump sidestepped Harris’ accusations and pivoted to the economy, linking Harris to Biden’s policies. He argued that tariffs and tough trade policies were key to protecting the US economy. Harris, meanwhile, highlighted her recent economic proposals, including tax credits for small businesses. Economy debates monopolized the debate, especially for Harris who delegated six minutes of her 37-minute speech time to economy-related points, The New York Times noted.
Though both candidates had their moments, Harris appeared to put Trump on the defensive, even on economic matters — a domain where voters usually favor Trump. “She doesn’t have a plan,” Trump quipped. “It’s like reading *Run, Spot, Run*.”