Harris and Trump Clash in First TV Debate... 90 Minutes of Heated Arguments on Economy, Abortion, and Immigration (Comprehensive)

Harris "Trump's father-son tax cuts... friendly with dictators"
Trump "Biden's inflation destroys US economy"
63% of viewers "Harris is doing well"

In the presidential debate held on the 10th (local time), exactly 8 weeks (56 days) before the U.S. presidential election on November 5, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump clashed over issues such as inflation, the economy, trade, immigration, and abortion. This was the first debate since the Democratic presidential candidate was changed from President Joe Biden, who suffered a complete defeat in the TV debate last June, to Vice President Harris. The two candidates confronted each other head-on on key issues, starting with inflation and economic matters. With the candidates showing a neck-and-neck race in the polls and no additional debates scheduled at present, both sides fought fiercely under the pressure that a fatal mistake could leave no chance for recovery.

Vice President Harris and former President Trump faced off for the first time in a TV debate hosted by ABC at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, one of the most competitive battleground states. Harris extended her hand first to Trump for a handshake before the 90-minute debate began.

American citizens are watching the debate between former President Trump and Vice President Harris.
[Image source=Getty Images Yonhap News]

Vice President Harris framed the debate as a "battle between the future and the past," mentioning Trump’s judicial risks and potential threats to democracy. Former President Trump appeared calmer than before but launched a fierce attack by bringing up race and ideological issues. Both candidates hurled harsh words such as "lies," "disaster," and "worst" at each other. Utilizing the "mute" function outside of speaking time, one of the main rules of the debate, Harris also used gestures like shaking her head to attack Trump’s remarks.

Economic Clash... Harris: "I Am Middle Class" vs. Trump: "Biden Destroyed the Economy"

The two candidates first clashed over the economy, the top concern of voters. Vice President Harris emphasized her middle-class background in opposition to former President Trump, widely known as a successful businessman. In response to the first question about whether Americans are economically better off than four years ago, Harris said, "I am the only candidate who grew up in a middle-class family," promising an "economy of opportunity" including child tax credits and support for small businesses.

Harris stated, "I will support child tax credit benefits for middle-class families," adding, "We will provide up to $6,000 annually in child tax benefits." She continued, "I grew up as a middle-class child and am the only person on this stage who actually plans to help America's middle class and workers," sharply criticizing Trump’s economic policies as "tax cuts for the wealthiest people."

She also launched a sharp attack on Trump’s tariff policies, calling tariffs "Trump VAT," and said, "He is worsening the lives of small businesses and the middle class while cutting taxes for billionaires."

In response, former President Trump said, "If you don’t like tariffs, (the Biden administration) should have removed them," claiming that the tariffs he imposed on China during his term brought billions of dollars in tariff revenue to the U.S. He also attacked the Biden administration for the surge in inflation, saying, "We experienced the worst inflation during Biden’s presidency. There was no inflation like this during my term. They destroyed the economy." He called Harris a "Marxist," claiming, "Her father is a Marxist economics professor and taught her well." Harris’s father is from Jamaica and was an economics professor at Stanford University.

Former President Donald Trump [Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

Abortion 'Lies' Battle... Illegal Immigration 'Conspiracy Theory' Also Raised

The two candidates also clashed head-on over abortion. Regarding the overturning of Roe v. Wade, which recognized abortion rights at the federal level, Vice President Harris said, "If Trump is elected, he will sign a nationwide abortion ban again." She added, "The government and Trump should not tell women what to do with their bodies," emphasizing, "I will sign a bill to restore abortion rights."

Former President Trump rebutted, "That is a lie," saying, "Abortion is now the responsibility of the people, not the federal government, and it is decided at the state level. My position does not matter."

They also clashed over the major issue of illegal immigration. Trump attacked, saying, "Biden and Harris brought illegal immigrants into the U.S. They took jobs from Americans and brought in numerous criminals. This is causing huge losses to the U.S. economy." Harris countered by saying she supported bipartisan border security legislation but claimed it failed to pass because Trump persuaded some lawmakers to scrap the bill.

Trump continued to attack Harris multiple times, citing the Biden administration’s lax border policies. He even brought up a conspiracy theory that "illegal immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, are eating residents’ dogs and cats." The ABC moderator stopped him, calling it an unfounded statement, but Trump ignored the warning and repeated the claim several times.

Vice President Harris mentioned Trump’s judicial risks, saying, "Someone already indicted is making these (crime) claims." She also criticized Trump for inciting the January 6 Capitol riot. Trump responded by calling the investigation against him a political "targeted investigation" and claimed that assassination threats he received at campaign events were due to Harris’s inflammatory remarks.

Harris also fiercely criticized the policy proposal book "Project 2025," led by the Heritage Foundation, a conservative U.S. think tank known for far-right policies. She had previously criticized Project 2025, saying, "We're not going back." Project 2025 is considered a blueprint for a second Trump administration. Trump distanced himself from it, saying, "I have nothing to do with Project 2025. It’s an idea made by people unrelated to me."

Kamala Harris, Vice President of the United States
[Photo by AFP Yonhap News]

Harris: "Trump Is Friendly with Dictators" vs. Trump: "Iran Terrorism Is Biden’s Fault"

The debate continued with foreign policy exchanges. Former President Trump boasted that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orb?n supports him and that he maintained close relationships with authoritarian countries struggling under the Biden administration.

Harris’s lack of foreign policy experience is considered one of her major weaknesses. However, she counterattacked by highlighting Trump’s friendliness with dictators. She said, "There is a reason why dictators around the world support former President Trump. They can manipulate him with flattery and favors," adding, "World leaders laugh at Trump." She also sharply criticized him for exchanging "love letters" with North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un.

Regarding the Gaza war between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas, Harris said, "Israel must have the capability to defend itself," but also emphasized, "Palestinians must be protected to live with sovereignty and dignity. The war must end immediately." Trump countered, "Harris hates Israel. If she becomes president, the Middle East problems will worsen." He also claimed, "During my term, Iran’s funding was cut off, but thanks to the Biden administration’s lax policies, Iran has stockpiled $300 billion and is using that money for terrorism."

On the Russia-Ukraine war, Trump said, "Because I know both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin well, I can end the war," adding, "If elected president, I will end the war within 24 hours as president-elect."

During the debate, Trump repeatedly called out Joe Biden, who withdrew from the Democratic presidential race, urging Harris to share responsibility as vice president for the Biden administration’s failures. Harris responded, "I am not Joe Biden," saying, "I am a new generation of leadership for our country."

In closing remarks, Harris reiterated the "battle between the future and the past" framework. She said, "You have heard two different visions for America. One focuses on the future, the other on the past," adding, "We must not try to go back. We must move forward." She emphasized the "economy of opportunity," mentioning policies for small business investment, family welfare, and price stability aimed at the middle class. She concluded, "I will be a president for all Americans."

Former President Trump responded, "Vice President Harris said she would implement many policies, but why didn’t she do so while serving as vice president?" He added, "Every country in the world is laughing at the U.S. Voters will not believe Harris’s words." He also claimed, "Millions of illegal immigrants are destroying America because of President Biden. You are witnessing the worst president and vice president in history."

Will the Neck-and-Neck Race Break? 63% of Viewers Say "Harris Did Better"

This debate is expected to be a critical turning point in the U.S. presidential race, which is currently extremely close, potentially swaying voter sentiment. According to a poll jointly conducted and released on the 8th by The New York Times (NYT) and Siena College, former President Trump and Vice President Harris had support rates of 48% and 47%, respectively, showing a tight race.

According to a CNN debate viewer poll conducted by SSRS, 63% of registered voters who watched the debate said Vice President Harris performed better, while 37% favored former President Trump.

This contrasts with the same poll conducted before the debate, which was split 50-50. It also contrasts with the June debate between President Biden and former President Trump, where 67% of voters favored Trump.

The New York Times (NYT) evaluated, "Vice President Harris took the upper hand in her first debate with former President Trump, showcasing the skill of a prosecutor who seized every opportunity to get under Trump’s skin." The U.S. political media outlet Politico stated, "Vice President Harris provoked former President Trump multiple times and caused him to lose his balance."