Former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris had fiery exchanges on each other’s policy during the first presidential debate of the 2024 election.
The Republican and Democratic nominees met for the first time, face to face, at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia on Tuesday. The two shook hands and stepped to their podiums as they were questioned on issues of immigration, abortion, and the economy among other topics.
A recurring point of the night was Former President Trump’s claims on migrants, where he stated that many are coming into the United States and affecting the country.
“When you look at what she’s done to our country, and when you look at these millions (and) millions of people that are pouring into our country monthly, where it’s, I believe 21 million people, not the 15 that people that say,” Trump said. “And I think it’s a lot higher than the 21. That’s bigger than New York state. Pouring in. And just look at what they’re doing to our country.”
Under the Biden administration, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) encounters with migrants at the United States-Mexico border have hit all-time highs. However, according to CBS fact checker, the number is not near Trump’s figures, and not everyone who crossed the border under Biden’s supervision has been permitted to stay.
CBP has never recorded “millions” of migrant interactions per month. The largest monthly migrant encounter total was achieved in December 2023, when CBP handled over 300,000 migrants. In addition to those processed by CBP, some migrants successfully cross the southern border illegally without being apprehended. Border Patrol believes that 1.7 million migrants have escaped capture since the beginning of fiscal year 2021.
Trump also made shocking claims about Haitian migrants eating pets in Springfield, Ohio.
“In Springfield, they’re eating the dogs — the people that came in — they’re eating the cats,” Trump said. “They’re eating — 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.”
These claims were debunked by a city spokesperson who told CBS News Tuesday that there have been “no credible reports or specific claims” of pets being harmed by immigrants.
The topic of abortion laws was another key issue that incited some stark claims from both candidates. Vice President Harris claimed Trump “will sign a national abortion-ban” if reelected.
Trump has stated that he has “no regrets” for appointing the Supreme Court judges who overturned the constitutional right to abortion. However, he has frequently stated that if elected, he will not sign a federal abortion ban into law, leaving the decision to the states. One unanswered topic this year was whether he would enforce the Comstock Act, an 1873 law that outlaws the sending of abortion-related materials.
Trump later in the debate claimed that Harris and her running mate, Gov. Tim Walz, support abortion after birth.
“[H]er vice presidential pick says abortion in the ninth month is absolutely fine. He also says execution after birth — it’s execution, no longer abortion because the baby is born, — is okay. And that’s not okay with me. Hence the vote,” Trump said.
No state allows the killing of a newborn after delivery. Infanticide is banned in all 50 states. His false claim is based on many Democrats’ refusal to support any legal restrictions on abortion, according to ABC News fact checker. He specifically quotes former Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, a physician, who once stated that in rare, late-pregnancy cases where fetuses are nonviable, doctors deliver the baby, resuscitate it if the mother wishes, and then have a “discussion” with the mother.
Harris frequently baited Trump, trying to “throw-off” his game by taking shots at his leadership skills, the attendance at his rallies, and mentioned the several convictions he faces as he awaits his sentencing in November.
“He talks about fictional characters like Hannibal Lecter. He will talk about ‘windmills cause cancer.’ And what you will also notice is that people start leaving his rallies early out of exhaustion and boredom,” Harris said. “Why don’t you tell the 800,000 Polish Americans right here in Pennsylvania how quickly you would give up for the sake of favor and what you think is a friendship with what is known to be a dictator, who would eat you for lunch.”
Following the debate, Trump said in an interview with Sean Hannity of Fox News that he “thought it was a great debate.”
“The reason you do a second debate is if you lose, and they lost–I was very happy with the result,” Trump told Hannity. “I just felt we had a great night and I’d come over here.”
Harris stated during her appearance at the Cherry Street Pier in Philadelphia that she and Walz are “still the underdogs” but expressed optimism for the rest of the general election campaign.
“Hard work is good work, and we will win,” Harris told the crowd.
Following Tuesday’s debate, the Democratic campaign said that they would like to meet with the Republican nominee again before the November elections. Trump has previously requested three debates with Harris, but it is unclear whether he will agree to a second meeting following Tuesday’s battle in Philadelphia.