In the first—and likely only—debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, Vice President Harris emerged as the undeniable winner, showcasing her leadership and command of the issues while leaving Trump scrambling to defend his record. With elegance, poise, and most importantly, facts, Harris dismantled Trump’s empty rhetoric. From the moment she stepped on stage, greeted Trump, and said, “I’m Kamala Harris, let’s have a good debate,” it was clear she came prepared. Notably, Trump made no effort to introduce himself. This was the beginning of the end for him.
For 90 minutes, Americans were bombarded by a stream of lies from the former president. On the economy, Trump lambasted the Biden administration’s policies, saying, “We’ve had a terrible economy, because of inflation, which is really known as a country buster.” He defended his stance on tariffs, claiming, “They are not going to have higher prices,” despite clear evidence that tariffs generally raise costs for consumers. Harris countered with sharp criticism, arguing that Trump’s tariff proposals would function like a “sales tax,” potentially costing middle-class families up to $4,000 annually. She emphasized her plan to build an “opportunity economy” centered on infrastructure, education, and clean energy investments.
Abortion, a key issue in the upcoming election, quickly took center stage. Trump took the extreme stance that Democrats support “abortions up to and even after birth,” a statement so far removed from reality, it’s dangerous. He even doubled down, claiming Democrats “don’t care if a baby is killed after it’s born.” There is no law or policy in the U.S. that allows for “after-birth abortions”—a concept that doesn’t exist in medical or legal terms. These comments were classic Trump fear-mongering, designed to paint Democrats and pro-choice advocates as extremists. It’s part of his playbook: using exaggerated, incendiary language to rile up his base.
Moderator Linsey Davis fact-checked Trump, saying, “There is no state in this country where it is legal to kill a baby after it’s born.” Harris swiftly responded, calling Trump’s remarks “insulting to the women of America.” She emphasized that supporting a woman’s right to choose doesn’t require abandoning deeply held beliefs. “Donald Trump and the government have no right to tell a woman what to do with her body,” she stated. Harris also highlighted the suffering caused by the overturning of Roe v. Wade and reiterated her commitment to protecting women’s reproductive rights.
In another critical moment, Trump dodged whether he would veto a national abortion ban, offering a non-answer about leaving the decision to the states. His refusal to commit was a clear attempt to walk the line between his base and moderates. Interestingly, Trump’s own running mate, JD Vance, previously claimed Trump would veto such a ban. Trump also made the bold claim that he has been a “leader on IVF,” attempting to paint himself as a champion for couples seeking in-vitro fertilization (IVF). He cited his involvement in Alabama’s recent ruling that recognized frozen embryos as children, which led to a temporary halt in IVF treatments. Harris challenged Trump’s stance on IVF, pointing out the very real barriers women face in accessing fertility treatments, especially under the restrictive laws his policies helped to inspire. She emphasized the impact of abortion bans on families, arguing that “couples who pray and dream of having a family are being denied IVF treatments,” while also highlighting the struggles working women face in affording healthcare, particularly when forced to travel to other states due to restrictive laws. Consistently, she turned the conversation back to the real issue—protecting women’s rights—and reaffirmed her support for safe and legal abortion access.
On immigration, Trump fell back on familiar scare tactics, including a bizarre story about immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, supposedly eating pets—a claim debunked by moderator David Muir, marking the second fact-check of the night. Even after being corrected, Trump refused to back down. He also baselessly asserted that Democrats support “transgender operations on illegal aliens in prison.” These sensationalized comments were less about policy and more about stoking fear and hysteria. Harris didn’t dignify most of these claims with a response, instead focusing on dismantling Trump’s broader narrative of misinformation. By refusing to engage with his chaos, she solidified herself as the rational, fact-based alternative.
For the remainder of the debate, Harris held Trump accountable in a way that hasn’t been seen before. She aggressively listed his criminal charges, including his conviction for sexual assault in New York. Trump, visibly annoyed, could only blame Biden and Harris for his legal troubles, without offering any evidence. Even when Trump tried to interrupt or goad her with personal attacks, Harris maintained her composure. When Trump tried to shush her—twice—she stayed calm, wearing a bemused expression while refusing to engage in his tactics.
When Trump predictably returned to his false claims about the 2020 election being stolen, Harris swiftly reminded him—and the country—that 81 million Americans had fired him. Trump’s frustration grew as he recycled tired talking points about the border and attempted to rewrite history on January 6th, falsely claiming, “nobody from the other side died.” In fact, multiple Capitol Police officers died during or shortly after the insurrection.
Harris made it clear that she’s not simply standing in the background as Vice President—she’s challenging Trump’s outdated approach and the patriarchal underpinnings of his campaign. Trump’s repeated attempts to diminish her—by ignoring her presence, addressing only the male moderator, or trying to distract from the real issues—were met with grace and strength. Harris called it out directly: “He is trying again to divide and distract.” But she didn’t just confront his tactics; she redefined what real strength looks like. “Strength is not beating people down,” she said. “It’s building people up.”
In this debate, Kamala Harris demonstrated true strength, showing she is not only ready to lead but to stand up for a nation that has already rejected Donald Trump once—and will likely do so again.