Trump spars with Harris, moderators during heated presidential debate: ‘She doesn’t have a plan’

PHILADELPHIA, PA – Former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris faced off in a heated debate Tuesday night, sparring about abortion, immigration, Israel, the economy and a range of other issues—but Trump also battled the ABC News moderators, who were quick to challenge and “fact check” the 45th president, while leaving Harris’ numerous distortions untouched.

Trump and Harris engaged in their first, and possibly only debate of the 2024 general election cycle at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Pa. Tuesday night—a highly-anticipated ninety-minute showdown as they traded jabs, and repeatedly, accused each other of lying.

The two met for the first time Tuesday night on the debate stage, with the vice president introducing herself as “Kamala Harris” to the former president as they shook hands–before making it a top priority to attempt to get under his skin and bait him throughout the debate.

The debate got underway with questions from ABC News’ David Muir and Linsey Davis, who challenged Trump throughout the debate.

Shortly after it concluded, Trump told Fox News Digital that he thought it was his “best debate ever, especially because it was three on one.”

Moderators began with the economy—first questioning the vice president on whether Americans “are better off than they were four years ago?”

Harris did not directly respond to the question. The Biden-Harris administration has seen rising inflation.

Instead, Harris incorrectly claimed Trump wanted to introduce a “sales tax” on everyday goods, but Trump dismissed that claim as an “incorrect statement.”

Moderators chimed in, suggesting Trump’s plan to impose tariffs on other countries would pass on higher costs to consumers.

But Trump countered, pointing to the high inflation of the Biden-Harris administration, calling it the “worst in our nation’s history,” while touting the record-economy under his administration.

Trump went on to hit Harris on her lack of clear policies, saying her past record and “everything that she believed three years ago and four years ago is out the window.”

“She’s going to my philosophy now,” he said. “In fact, I was going to send her a MAGA hat.”

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