The former US president was on the defensive as moderators fact-checked his statements during the two presidential hopefuls' debate in Philadelphia.
ADVERTISEMENTKamala Harris put up a forceful battle against Donald Trump on Tuesday in their first and perhaps only debate before the presidential election.
During the 90-minute clash, their starkly different visions for the country on abortion, immigration and US democracy were on full display.
The incumbent vice president and Democratic candidate opened the faceoff by marching across the stage to Trump’s lectern to shake his hand.
“Kamala Harris,” she said, introducing herself as the pair met for the first time. “Let’s have a good debate.” “Nice to see you. Have fun,” the former president responded.
The exchange set the tone for the entire debate: Harris questioned Trump over his economic policy, his refusal to concede his 2020 election loss which he still denies, and even his performance at his rallies.
She also derided his false claims and emphasised the Republican candidate's role in the Supreme Court's overturning of a national right to abortion two years ago.
Trump, while measured early on, tore into Harris as too liberal and a continuation of Biden's unpopular administration, launching the freewheeling personal attacks and digressions his advisers and supporters have tried to steer him away from.
'Tough person' Viktor Orbán
Harris’s performance seemed to be the opposite of US President Joe Biden’s in June, with sharp, focused answers designed to showcase the contrast between her and Trump. Biden had, at times, been muddled, halting and at times incoherent.
Harris appeared intent on casting herself as a relief for voters seeking a break from Trump’s acerbic politics.
At one moment, Harris turned to Trump and said that as vice president, she had spoken to foreign leaders who “are laughing at Donald Trump,” and said she had spoken to military leaders, “and they say you’re a disgrace”.
In response, Trump highlighted his close ties with other leaders, such as Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
"They call him a strong man. He's a tough person," Trump said of Orbán, a hard-right politician who has tried to limit press freedom and political opposition in Hungary.
Trump, who appeared to be on his back foot, again questioned Harris' racial identity.
59-year-old Harris, the first woman, Black person and person of South Asian descent to serve as vice president, responded, “I think the American people want better than that, want better than this.”
Trump in turn tried to link Harris to Biden, questioning why she hadn’t acted on her proposed ideas while serving as vice president. Trump also focused his attacks on Harris over her assignment by Biden to deal with the root causes of illegal migration.
ADVERTISEMENT“Why hasn’t she done it? She’s been there for four and a half years,” he said.
Harris promised tax cuts aimed at the middle class and said she would push to restore a federally guaranteed right to abortion overturned by the Supreme Court two years ago.
Trump said his proposed tariffs would help the US to be no longer cheated by allies on trade and said he would work to swiftly end Russia's war in Ukraine, though he twice refused to say he believed it was in the US' interest for Ukraine, which bipartisan majorities in Congress have backed, to win the war.
'Trump was fired by 81 million people'
Trump again denied that he lost to Biden four years ago, when a mob of his supporters stormed the US Capitol to try to stop the certification of his loss based on false or unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud.
ADVERTISEMENTHe tried to reverse the question of threats to US democracy and suggested criticism of him could be linked to the assassination attempt he survived in July.
“I probably took a bullet to the head because of the things that they say about me,” he said. “They talk about democracy, I’m a threat to democracy. They’re the threat to democracy.”
In recent days, Trump ramped up his threats of retribution if he returns to the White House, saying he would prosecute lawyers, donors, and other officials whom he deems to “cheat” in the election.
“Donald Trump was fired by 81 million people," Harris said, "So let’s be clear about that. And clearly, he is having a very difficult time processing that.”
ADVERTISEMENTThe debate took place less than two months before Election Day and hours before the first early ballots will begin to be mailed in Alabama on Wednesday.