Here’s what happened during the debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump.
The debate began focusing on economics, with conflicting visions from each candidate. The candidates blamed each other for the high costs associated with inflation and its detrimental effect on Americans.
Trump focused on defending his administration’s record before the Covid-19 pandemic by promoting a continuation of his policies, such as tax cuts, deregulation of businesses and cutting federal spending on social initiatives.
Harris focused on critiquing Trump’s Covid-19 economic policies, promising to uplift the middle class through an “opportunist economy” by offering stimulus checks, infrastructure development and increased taxes on wealthy individuals and corporations.
Following the discussion of economics, the gears shifted to immigration issues, where the debate took on a harsher tone as Trump and Harris presented sharply contrasting views on border security, immigration reform and the treatment of immigrants. Trump continued to emphasize his administration’s strict policies and border enforcement.
Additionally, he argued that these measures were necessary to prevent illegal immigration, protect American jobs and ensure national security.
Harris’s focus was on critiquing what she saw as the inhumane aspects of Trump’s policies and advocating for a more comprehensive approach to immigration reform. Her plan included providing a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants and addressing the root causes of migration through diplomatic efforts.
Trump reaffirmed a pro-life position, emphasizing his administration’s efforts to restrict abortion access. He highlighted appointments of conservative justices to the Supreme Court, which he argued resulted in the overturning of Roe v. Wade and the advancement of pro-life policies. He framed these efforts as part of a larger commitment to protecting the rights of the unborn.
Harris strongly defended reproductive rights and Roe v. Wade. She criticized Trump’s efforts to undermine abortion access and argued that these actions were harmful to women’s health and autonomy. She advocated for ensuring the protection of reproductive rights at the federal level—combating state level restrictions.
Trump criticized the Biden administration’s handling of the Ukraine conflict, arguing that it had failed to achieve meaningful progress and claiming that his own approach would have been more effective in deterring Russian’s invasion.
Harris strongly supported ongoing American assistance to Ukraine, including military aid and economic support. She underscored the importance of standing with Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression and emphasized the need for continued support from the international community. She argued that Trump’s handling of Ukraine had undermined support for the country and strengthened Russia.
