Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump met on Tuesday for their first debate, a square-off that could have a significant impact on the Nov. 5 election.
Here are takeaways from the debate:
Neither Candidate Outlines New Policies
The debate saw few key policy advances from either candidate.
While fielding questions on topics including the economy, foreign affairs, energy, abortion, immigration, climate change, and health care, Harris and Trump mostly restated their established positions.
In response to a question about combating climate change, both candidates appeared either to deflect or pivot. Harris criticized Trump for calling climate change a hoax before alluding to high home insurance premiums in Florida due to hurricanes.
She then pivoted to touting manufacturing jobs and union endorsements. Trump did not answer the question and instead criticized the Biden administration and the president himself for relationships with other countries.
Moderator Linsey Davis pressed Trump on his previous promises to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare.
“We are working on things. We’re going to do it. We’re going to replace it,” he said.
‘Weaponized’ Justice
Trump and Harris accused each other of conspiring to “weaponize” the Justice Department in a bid to go after their enemies.
Trump said the indictments he faces for conspiring to challenge the 2020 election results and for his mishandling of classified documents—as well as his conviction for forging documents related to “hush money” payments to an adult star—are all the result of a conspiracy cooked up by Harris and Biden.
Harris shot back by pointing out that Trump has promised to prosecute his enemies if he wins a second term.
“Understand this is someone who has openly said he would terminate, I’m quoting, terminate the Constitution,” Harris said.
The heated exchange underlined how Harris and Trump see the stakes of this election as existential. Both claimed their opponent to be a threat to democracy itself.
Sparring on the Economy
In the debate’s opening minutes, Trump and Harris went to battle on one of the issues that is top of mind for voters: the economy.
Harris detailed the economic policies she has rolled out in recent weeks, which include a substantial tax credit for small start-ups. Trump focused his comments on tariffs, saying he would protect the American economy from unfair foreign competition.
Abortion Focus
The two candidates also engaged in a fractious debate about abortion.
Trump defended the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 ruling that ended constitutional protection for abortion and sent the issue back to individual states.
“I did a great service in doing it. It took courage to do it,” Trump said.
Harris, who backs a federal right to abortion, said her opponent would sign “a national abortion ban” if it came to his desk while in office.
“I’m not signing a ban, and there’s no reason to sign a ban,” Trump said.
When pressed on the issue, he did not commit to vetoing legislation that would impose nationwide restrictions on abortion.
“Would you veto a national abortion ban?” Davis asked Trump.
“I won’t have to,” he responded, arguing the issue wouldn’t make it through a closely divided Senate, which requires 60 senators to move legislation due to the filibuster.
Epoch Times staff and Reuters contributed to this report.