Former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris went head-to-head during the presidential debate on Tuesday (September 10) in Philadelphia.
Trump and Harris faced off for the first time after President Joe Biden dropped out of the race following his performance during the first presidential debate. The Republican and Democratic nominees offered starkly different visions of how they would tackle hot-button issues including inflation, the economy, abortion rights, and the border if they were elected as president in November.
In a historic moment, Harris initiated a handshake between the two before they faced off on the debate stage just eight weeks ahead of the election.
Keep scrolling to catch up on the important takeaways from Tuesday's presidential debate.
Economy
Harris emphasized her middle-class background and pledged to uplift the working people of America. The vice president laid out her plan to build an "opportunity economy," which includes proposals to make housing more affordable and expand the child tax credit.
Harris went after Trump's proposal to provide tax cuts for corporations and billionaires, arguing that they would hurt the middle class. The Democratic nominee said top economists have backed her plan to boost the economy.
Trump said he would help fix the economy by imposing tariffs on other countries, such as China. The Republican nominee claimed he created the best economy in history during his presidency. Trump also tried to connect immigration issues to the economy, saying the Biden-Harris administration has allowed millions of "criminals" to cross the border and take jobs from Americans.
As the former president dodged questions about the economy, Harris told Americans "Trump has no plan for you."
Abortion Rights
When it comes to the Supreme Court striking down Roe v. Wade, Trump claimed he did what every legal scholar wanted, putting abortion rights back in the hands of the states. Trump asserted he's not in favor of a national abortion ban. He also tried to claim that Harris' running mate, Tim Walz, and other Democrats support "executing" babies after they are born.
In a rebuttal, Harris called out Trump for selecting Supreme Court justices who struck down federal protections for abortion rights. Harris pointed to abortion restrictions across the country, noting how several don't make exceptions for victims of rape and incest. "The government and Donald Trump shouldn't be telling women what to do with their bodies," Harris said, noting that she would “proudly” sign a bill into law reinstating the protections of Roe v. Wade if elected president.
The vice president also brought up Project 2025, saying the document's proposals include a national abortion ban.
Earlier in the night, Trump claimed “I have nothing to do with Project 2025. That’s out there. I haven’t read it. I don’t want to read it, purposely. I’m not going to read it.”
Immigration
During the debate, Harris called out Trump for killing a bipartisan border security bill that aimed to increase the number of border officers, stop the flow of fentanyl, and prosecute organizations for trafficking people and drugs among other efforts.
Trump again argued that the Biden-Harris administration is letting “21 million people” cross the border monthly. That claim was shut down by CNN, which reported "the total number of 'encounters' at the northern and southern borders from February 2021 through July 2024, at both legal ports of entry and in between those ports."
On Tuesday, the former president also falsely claimed that migrants are coming to the U.S. from prisons and mental institutions.
“We have millions of people pouring into our country from prisons and jails, from mental institutions and insane asylums,” Trump claimed.
Trump also pushed misinformation that immigrants in Springfield, Ohio are abducting and eating pets. The Springfield city manager has confirmed there are no reports of such activity.
The former president wants to "run on a problem instead of fixing a problem," Harris said.
January 6th
When asked if he had any regrets about his actions as president on January 6, 2021, Trump claimed he told rioters to protest "peacefully and patriotically" during his speech that day.
He continued to dodge the question by attacking Harris on immigration.
"What about all the people that are pouring into our country and killing people that [Vice President Kamala Harris] allowed to pour in?” Trump said.
The former president later claimed that former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Washington, DC, Mayor Muriel Bowser were to blame for the lack of security during the January 6 attack on the Capitol.
“I wasn’t responsible for security,” Trump said during the debate. “Nancy Pelosi was responsible. She didn’t do her job.”
During her rebuttal, Harris declared that the president incited the violent mob to attack our nation's Capitol.
International Relations
When asked about the Israel-Hamas war, Harris said Israel has a right to defend itself against a terrorist organization, "but it matters how." The vice president pointed out how innocent Palestinians have been killed and called for the Palestinian people to have security and self-determination. Harris also pledged to work around the clock for a two-state solution and reaffirmed her support of Israel defending itself against Iran and other threats.
Trump claimed Tuesday that Harris "hates" Israel, claiming that the country wouldn't "exist" in two years under her leadership.
On the Russia-Ukraine war, Trump alleged that the conflict would've never started if he had been president.
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