Former President Trump and Vice President Harris forcefully clashed in their first head-to-head debate Tuesday night in Philadelphia, a pivotal moment for both campaigns.
The debate, which went over its scheduled 90 minutes, saw multiple contentious disputes and exchanges sure to be talked about until November.
Here are five memorable moments from the Trump-Harris debate.
Trump fact-checked on pet-eating conspiracy
Trump speaks during the debate at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia on Sept. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Trump wasted no time bringing up conspiracy theories regarding immigrant gangs in Aurora, Colo., and false allegations that immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, are eating pets. He doubled down later in the debate, falsely claiming that people in Springfield “are eating dogs.”
About 25 minutes into the debate, the former president shared the baseless internet rumor regarding Haitian migrants that has gained attention over the last few days and that was amplified by his running mate, Sen. JD Vance (R). The Ohio senator added the caveat that “the rumors may be false”.
“They’re eating the dogs. The people that came in, they’re eating the cats,” Trump said. “They’re eating the pets of the people that live there, and this is what’s happening in our country, and it’s a shame.”
The claim was fact-checked by ABC News anchor David Muir, who clarified that “We checked with the city manager,” and officials in Springfield found no evidence of immigrants eating pets.
Harris appeared to laugh off-mic, and said, “What? This is unbelievable,” according to the vice presidential pool report.
Harris hits Trump on abortion
Harris speaks during Tuesday’s debate. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
One of the most notable exchanges between Harris and Trump came over an issue that has proven galvanizing for Democrats and politically fraught for the Republican Party ahead of November’s election: abortion.
Trump took credit for ending Roe v. Wade, and hailed the “genius, heart and strength of six Supreme Court justices” who voted to end the constitutional right to an abortion.
Harris, meanwhile, went on the attack over his claims that Democrats wanted to allow women to have abortions at nine months of pregnancy. As she spoke, she looked directly at Trump, who steadfastly looked forward.
“Pregnant women who want to carry a pregnancy to term, suffering from a miscarriage, being denied care in an emergency room because their health care providers are afraid they might go to jail, and she’s bleeding out in a car in the parking lot — she didn’t want that. Her husband didn’t want that,” Harris said.
She added that if Congress passes a bill to codify Roe v. Wade, she would sign it into law.
Earlier in the exchange, Trump opened his answer by claiming Democrats wanted to allow abortion up until after birth. In doing so, he misrepresented comments made by former Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D), and mistakenly referred to him as the former governor of West Virginia.
Trump tells Harris ‘I’m talking now’
Trump speaks during Tuesday’s debate.
Trump invoked a notable moment from Harris’s 2020 debate against former Vice President Mike Pence, when she told him, “I’m speaking.”
“I’m talking now, if you don’t mind, please. Does that sound familiar?” Trump said to Harris.
The exchange began with Harris commenting on NATO leaders’ relief at Trump not being in office, and his friendship with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“Our NATO allies are so thankful that you are no longer president and that we understand the importance of the greatest military alliance the world has ever known, which is NATO,” Harris said.
Trump told Harris “quiet please” as she interjected during an answer on Putin.
Harris was responding to a comment but her microphone was turned off as Trump made the argument that the Russia-Ukraine war would not have started if he were in office.
“Quiet, please,” he said. “He would have been sitting in Moscow much happier than he is right now. But eventually, you know, he’s got a thing that other people don’t have — he’s got nuclear weapons. They don’t ever talk about that.”
Trump refuses to commit to vetoing a national abortion ban
Trump speaks during Tuesday’s debate.
The former president refused to commit to vetoing a national abortion ban when asked point-blank if he would do so if reelected to the White House.
Trump praised himself and the Supreme Court justices who voted in favor of ending the right to an abortion.
“I did a great service in doing it; it took courage in doing it. The Supreme Court had great courage in doing it. And I give tremendous credit to those six justices,” Trump said.
Vice President Harris attacked him for the current patchwork of abortion laws across the country. Abortion is banned or restricted in nearly two dozen states, and Harris referred to the laws repeatedly as “Trump abortion bans.”
“The government, and Donald Trump certainly, should not be telling a woman what to do with her body,” Harris said.
Trump says he has ‘concepts of a plan’ to replace ObamaCare
Trump speaks during Tuesday’s debate. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Trump stumbled over an answer when asked about his previous failure to repeal the landmark health care law known as ObamaCare.
“We are working on things. We’re going to do it. We’re going to replace it,” Trump said.
But he added that he doesn’t currently have a plan.
“I have concepts of a plan. I’m not president right now,” Trump said.
Trump said the law was a failure and is costing Americans too much money. Republicans were a single vote away from repealing it in 2017. Then-Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) dramatically broke with his party, as had Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), to give Democrats the three Republican votes needed to preserve the law.
Biden officials said Tuesday nearly 50 million Americans have enrolled in ObamaCare insurance plans since 2014.
Bonus moment: The much-awaited Taylor Swift endorsement drops
Taylor Swift performs at Friends Arena on May 17, 2024, in Stockholm.
The much-awaited endorsement by pop superstar Taylor Swift was released shortly after the debate ended, with her announcing her support for Harris’s presidential run.
She signed off the post as a “childless cat lady,” saying she’s backing the vice president because “she fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them.”
“I think she is a steady-handed, gifted leader and I believe we can accomplish so much more in this country if we are led by calm and not chaos,” Swift wrote.
