In a heated debate on Tuesday night, Kamala Harris put Donald Trump on the defensive, shaking up the close U.S. presidential race with fiery exchanges on key issues. The vice president skillfully challenged Trump on topics like abortion, democracy, and foreign policy, leaving him visibly frustrated at times.
Harris, 59, earned praise for her strong performance, even getting the endorsement of pop superstar Taylor Swift. Swift applauded Harris as a “steady-handed leader” and voiced her support on Instagram, which garnered millions of likes.
Throughout the debate, hosted by ABC News in Philadelphia, Harris managed to unsettle Trump with her sharp responses. She started by catching him off guard with a handshake and then kept the pressure on, especially when discussing immigration and the economy. Trump responded by calling her a “Marxist” and blaming her for the issues he claims arose under President Joe Biden’s administration. Harris countered, calmly stating that her candidacy represented a fresh start and that “we’re not going back” to the turmoil of Trump’s presidency.
One of the debate’s most intense moments came during their exchange on abortion. Trump tried to justify his role in ending federal protections for abortion rights, saying states should decide their own policies. Harris pushed back, accusing him of spreading lies and dismissing his stance as offensive to American women.
The debate also revisited Trump’s refusal to accept the 2020 election results, with Harris sarcastically reminding him that “81 million people fired you.” She labeled him a threat to democracy and pointed out his divisive use of race during his political career. Harris, a former prosecutor, referred to Trump as a convicted felon and called his tactics “extreme” and damaging to the country.
Foreign policy was another point of contention, with Harris warning that Russian President Vladimir Putin would “eat you for lunch” when it comes to the conflict in Ukraine, while Trump accused her of being soft on Israel and Gaza.
As Trump attempted to regain control, Harris consistently undermined him, even joking about the diminishing size of his rallies, suggesting people were leaving out of “exhaustion and boredom.”
At one point, Trump went off track, discussing a debunked theory about Haitian immigrants in Ohio, only for the moderator to correct him. This moment further added to the tension between the candidates.
According to a snap poll by CNN, Harris emerged victorious, with 63% of viewers saying she performed better compared to Trump’s 37%. President Biden also weighed in, claiming the debate wasn’t even close in favor of Harris.
In a surprising move, Trump appeared in the debate’s “spin room” afterward, a signal that he may not have been entirely satisfied with his performance. Meanwhile, Taylor Swift’s enthusiastic endorsement of Harris added a pop-culture boost to an already eventful night in U.S. politics.