On the evening of the 10th local time, the Democratic presidential candidate and Vice President Harris and the Republican presidential candidate and former President Trump held their first televised debate in Philadelphia. The two sides engaged in a fierce confrontation over issues such as the US economy, immigration, abortion, the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and the situation in Palestine and Israel. The two men were in full swing and repeatedly accused each other of "lying."
After the debate, both sides claimed that they "won" or that "it was their best debate yet."
CNN said Harris attacked Trump again and again with sharp words, putting Trump on the defensive. Now there are less than two months to the November 5 election, and some analysts believe that the mutual attacks between the two parties in the US will become more intense. The Financial Times of the United Kingdom said that the United States cannot get rid of the stubborn polarization anyway. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zakharova said on the 11th that the TV debate between Trump and Harris was "another show". It was "like a boxing match on the Titanic" and "the result of the match is meaningless because there are still 15 minutes before the iceberg (collision)".
Harris walked six feet away from Trump and extended her hand, saying, "Let's have a good debate." Trump said, "Nice to meet you. Have fun." CNN said this was the beginning of Harris and Trump's first televised debate at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. The debate started with a handshake, but it did not end with a handshake. According to reports, throughout the debate, Harris almost kept attacking Trump, and Trump fought back from beginning to end. Regarding Trump's reluctance to admit his defeat in the 2020 election, Harris said that Trump "has been fired by 81 million voters (the number of people who voted for Biden in the 2020 US election)" and "We are very clear about this, but it is difficult for him to accept this." Trump just defended himself with the previous praise of Hungarian Prime Minister Orban.
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) stated that Harris obviously had a clear strategy before taking office: to make Trump lose his temper. To this end, she made sharp remarks aimed at angering her opponents on almost every topic. During the debate, Trump said that "the crime rate in this country is alarmingly high" and attacked the Biden administration for its poor response. Harris immediately turned the topic to the many prosecutions facing Trump: "I think it's really interesting for someone who has been prosecuted for national security crimes, economic crimes, election interference, and convicted of sexual assault." In response, Trump said that these prosecutions were politically motivated. "All of these cases were launched by them against political opponents... This is judicial weaponization." He said, "They talk about democracy and say that I am a threat to democracy, but they are the threat to democracy."
The Associated Press said Harris' words angered Trump. He launched "unrestrained personal attacks and threats" against Harris, which was exactly what Trump's advisers tried to prevent before the debate. Trump threatened: "If she is elected, it will be the end of our country."
"He's lying." "She's lying." At the debate, the two opened fire and frequently accused each other of "lying." In response, various American media websites have stepped up instant fact-checking. The Wall Street Journal said that both Harris and Trump deliberately distorted each other's positions during the debate. For example, on the issue of abortion, Trump claimed that the Democratic Party's policy "will allow abortion throughout pregnancy." The New York Times report listed the "fake information" said by the two: Harris falsely exaggerated the economic problems during Trump's tenure. She said: "Trump has left us with the worst unemployment since the Great Depression." Trump accused Harris of ineffective measures to prevent illegal immigrants from entering the United States, "They (referring to illegal immigrants) even eat Americans' pets, they eat dogs and cats." On social platforms, Trump's statement that "they are eating dogs" immediately rushed to the hot search list, sparking heated debate among netizens.
The World Press Syndicate website said that with less than two months left before the US election, European allies have shifted from dealing with Trump's "nightmare scenario" (a new trade war, abandoning Ukraine, and withdrawing from NATO) to a glimmer of hope. However, the report reminded that although Harris is beginning to gain the upper hand, it is foolish for Europe to expect to continue its previous relationship with the United States. The Financial Times of the United Kingdom said on the 11th that no matter who wins the election, the United States will not be able to get rid of stubborn polarization. For now, the US election narrative is changing: turmoil in the United States is foreseeable.