In a heated presidential debate on Tuesday, Democratic candidate Kamala Harris placed Republican rival Donald Trump on the defensive with a barrage of attacks addressing his suitability for office, his stance on abortion restrictions, and his numerous legal troubles.
A former prosecutor, Harris, 59, took control of the debate from the outset, repeatedly getting under Trump’s skin and eliciting a series of angry, factually inaccurate responses from the 78-year-old former president.
At one point, Harris taunted Trump by noting that attendees at his campaign rallies often leave early “out of exhaustion and boredom.” Trump, frustrated by the size of Harris’s crowds, countered with claims of holding “the biggest rallies, the most incredible rallies in the history of politics.”
Trump then pivoted to a false and widely circulated claim about immigrants allegedly eating pets in Springfield, Ohio—a statement amplified by Trump’s vice presidential candidate, Senator JD Vance. “They’re eating the dogs!” Trump exclaimed, prompting disbelief and laughter from Harris. “The people that came in, they’re eating the cats! They’re eating the pets of the people that live there.”
Harris responded succinctly, “Talk about extreme.”
With just eight weeks until the election and early voting beginning in some states, the debate—scheduled as the only one—provided both candidates a rare chance to present their cases to a television audience of tens of millions. The debate covered immigration, foreign policy, and healthcare but lacked in-depth policy specifics.
Harris’ assertive approach succeeded in shifting the focus onto Trump, leaving her supporters optimistic and some Republicans acknowledging Trump’s struggles. Trump reiterated his false claims about election fraud and criticized Harris as a “Marxist,” also falsely accusing migrants of inciting a crime wave.
“Trump missed an opportunity to stay focused on prosecuting the case against Biden-Harris on the economy and border, and instead took her bait, delving into election denialism and immigrants eating our pets,” commented Marc Short, former chief of staff for Trump’s ex-Vice President Mike Pence.
The Harris campaign received a boost when pop megastar Taylor Swift announced her support for Harris and running mate Tim Walz on Instagram, signing off with “childless cat lady” in reference to controversial remarks by Vance. PredictIt’s 2024 presidential market showed Trump’s chances of winning slipping to 47% from 52%, while Harris’ odds improved to 55% from 53%.
Confident in her performance, Harris’ campaign proposed a second debate in October. Trump, however, questioned the need for another debate, suggesting that Harris’ request indicated she felt she lost the first one.
During the debate, Trump largely avoided his typical personal attacks but became agitated under Harris’ scrutiny. When questioned about a remark he made about Harris “becoming a Black person,” Trump replied, “I couldn’t care less. Whatever she wants to be is OK with me.”
Harris, who has both Black and South Asian heritage, criticized Trump for using race to divide Americans and challenged him on his criminal convictions, including covering up hush money payments and other indictments. Trump denied wrongdoing and accused Harris and the Democrats of fabricating the cases without evidence.
The debate began with a rare handshake between the candidates, who had never met before. Harris, who entered the race just seven weeks ago after President Joe Biden’s exit, used the opportunity to attack Trump’s record on abortion, arguing against recent statewide bans and claiming Trump would support a national ban—a claim Trump denied but did not explicitly refute.
Trump, who has sometimes struggled with abortion messaging, falsely accused Harris and Democrats of supporting infanticide. Harris also tied Trump to Project 2025, a conservative policy blueprint, though Trump denied involvement.
The debate touched on various issues, including the economy, where Harris criticized Trump’s proposed tariffs and praised her tax benefit plans. Trump criticized the Biden administration’s handling of inflation and exchanged barbs with Harris over international conflicts, including the Israel-Gaza war and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
As the election nears, small shifts in public opinion could prove pivotal in this closely contested race.
