Harris, Trump clash over economy, immigration, and abortion

The first debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump was marked by sharp contrasts, with the candidates clashing on a range of key issues, including the economy, immigration, abortion rights, and foreign policy.

The debate, which began with an awkward handshake, was relatively calm compared to past showdowns, thanks in part to muted microphones that minimized interruptions.

Harris, aiming to solidify her position as the Democratic front-runner, wasted no time in laying out her vision for the future. She emphasized her middle-class roots and proposed an “opportunity economy” that would focus on tax cuts for new parents, support for small businesses, and aid for first-time homebuyers.

“My opponent, on the other hand, wants to return to the same policies that failed us before—tax cuts for billionaires and big corporations,” Harris said. She accused Trump of prioritizing the wealthy at the expense of everyday Americans.

Trump, however, sought to steer the conversation toward tariffs and inflation, framing them as the real threats to the U.S. economy. “We’ve had a terrible economy because of inflation. It breaks up countries,” Trump said, while denying Harris’s claim that he would impose a nationwide sales tax. Instead, he proposed increasing tariffs on imports.

The debate quickly veered into immigration, with Trump repeatedly blaming migrants for the country’s economic troubles. He once again repeated the debunked claim that migrants were “eating people’s pets” in Ohio, a statement that local officials have dismissed as false. Harris responded by broadening the conversation, painting Trump as a president who left the country in disarray.

“Donald Trump left us the worst unemployment since the Great Depression, the worst public health epidemic in a century, and the worst attack on our democracy since the Civil War,” Harris charged. “All you’ll hear from him tonight are lies, grievances, and name-calling.”

Harris also accused Trump of being tied to radical proposals like Project 2025 from conservative think tanks, an association Trump denied. He also distanced himself from claims of supporting a national abortion ban. “I am not signing a ban,” Trump declared, arguing that abortion should be regulated at the state level.

Harris, however, leaned into the issue of reproductive rights, vowing to sign a bill restoring the protections of *Roe v. Wade* if elected president. “If Donald Trump is re-elected, make no mistake—there will be a national abortion ban,” she warned.

On foreign policy, the two candidates traded barbs over their stances on China and Russia. Harris criticized Trump’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and accused him of making “sweetheart deals” with China that weakened the U.S. “Under Donald Trump’s presidency, he sold us out to China. He helped them modernize their military while leaving us with a trade deficit,” she said.

Trump, in turn, attacked Harris’s stance on Ukraine, suggesting she lacked the resolve to stand up to autocrats like Vladimir Putin. “If I were president, this war in Ukraine would be over in 24 hours,” Trump claimed, though he avoided answering whether he wanted Ukraine to win the war. Harris shot back, “If Donald Trump were president, Putin would be sitting in Kyiv right now.”

The debate also touched on Israel and Palestine, where both candidates faced scrutiny. Harris reaffirmed Israel’s “right to defend itself” but acknowledged the humanitarian toll on Palestinian civilians. “This war must end,” she said, without committing to any direct action to prevent human rights abuses in Gaza by stopping arms provision to Israel.

Trump, however, took a more extreme position, falsely claiming that Harris “hates Israel” and suggesting that her policies would lead to the country’s destruction. He added, without evidence, that “Israel will cease to exist if she’s elected.”

In a surprising post-debate development, pop star Taylor Swift officially endorsed Harris, citing the spread of misinformation about her supposed support for Trump. “I’m voting for [Harris] because she is a steady-handed, gifted leader,” Swift wrote in an Instagram post, addressing her 283 million followers.

As the debate came to a close, Harris framed the election as a choice between moving forward or returning to the past. “This election is about the future, and we have the chance to build an economy and a country that works for everyone,” she said.

Trump, in his final remarks, continued his attacks on the Biden-Harris administration, calling them the “worst” leadership team in U.S. history. “They’ve had three and a half years to fix the border and create jobs. They failed,” he said, doubling down on his anti-immigration rhetoric.

Harris’s campaign quickly called for a second debate, confident in the vice president’s performance.

With the election looming, both candidates are gearing up for what promises to be a heated final stretch, with Harris focused on painting Trump as out of touch and self-serving, while Trump continues to push his populist message centered on immigration and economic nationalism.