Trump-Harris debate updates: Candidates go on the attack in zinger-filled showdown

Harris and Trump sparred in the high-stakes showdown.

The first presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump turned into a heated matchup that lasted more than 90 minutes.

The night started with a handshake initiated by Harris, but quickly escalated as the vice president bashed Trump over his policies and comments, contending that it was time to "offer is a new generation of leadership for our country."

Trump criticized Harris throughout the debate on topics such as Afghanistan and immigration issues, drawing comparisons between the vice president and President Joe Biden.

With Election Day just eight weeks away, the debate came at a critical point as polls show a neck-and-neck race between the candidates.


A transcript of the Harris-Trump debate

Harris and Trump met for their first presidential debate on Tuesday night. The consequential matchup was hosted by ABC News at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.

Read a transcript of what was said in the 90-minute debate here.


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CLAIM: 'Ashley Babbitt was shot by an out-of-control police officer that should have never, ever shot her. It's a disgrace.'

Fact check: Misleading

The U.S. Capitol Police Office of Professional Responsibility in August 2021 cleared the officer involved in the shooting of Ashli Babbitt, saying that officer would "not be facing internal discipline."

An internal investigation found the actions of the officer were "lawful and within Department policy," it said.

Babbitt was seen on video on Jan. 6 attempting to kick through a window near the House Speaker's Lobby, shortly after Babbitt entered the Capitol. She was subsequently shot and killed by the officer. The agency said they'd reviewed all available evidence in connection with the shooting including video and radio calls, and Capitol Police stood by the officer and said his actions saved the lives of lawmakers and family members.


CLAIM: Trump suggested he 'probably took a bullet to the head' because of Harris.

FACT CHECK: False

Trump suggested that the July 13 assassination attempt may have been because of Harris. The FBI has not established a motive that explains why Thomas Matthew Crooks fired on Trump.

Trump said, “This is the one that weaponized, not me. She weaponized. I probably took a bullet to the head because of the things that they say about me. They talk about democracy, I'm a threat to democracy. They’re the threat to democracy.”

During the most recent update on the investigation in a briefing with reporters on Aug. 28, FBI Executive Director Robert Wells said, “At this time, the FBI has not identified a motive nor any co-conspirators or associates of Crooks with advanced knowledge of the attack.”

“We continue to see through our analysis a mixture of ideologies. So I would say that we see no definitive ideology associated with our subject, either left-leaning or right-leaning. It's really been a mixture and something that we're still attempting to analyze and draw conclusions on,” FBI Special Agent in Charge of the Pittsburgh Field Office Kevin Rojek said at the same briefing.

While they do not know what motivated crooks, the FBI does believe he had a mindset to carry out some kind of attack and looked at Trump’s Butler rally, about an hour from his home, as a “target of opportunity.”

“Regarding the subject's mindset, so we saw, through our analysis of all his - particularly his online searches - a sustained detailed effort to plan an attack on some events, meaning he looked at any number of events or targets. And then when this event was announced, the Trump rally was announced early in July, he became hyper-focused on that specific event and looked at it as a target of opportunity,” Rojek said. “Again, I want to stress that we continue to analyze all the evidence associated with his accounts, with his online search activity. And we have a clear idea of mindset, but we are not ready to make any conclusive statements regarding motive at this time.”


Trump ends debate slamming Harris' record

Trump closed out the debate with his closing statement calling out Harris' record in the last three and a half years.

"She's going to do all these wonderful things. Why hasn't she done it? She's been there for three and a half years," he said.

Trump continued attacks on Harris over Afghanistan, the migrant crisis and the economy.

"The worst president, the worst vice president in the history of our country," he said.


Harris seeks to emphasize contrasts with Trump in closing statement

Harris spent her closing statement seeking to draw a final contrast between her vision for the country and that of Trump.

She also sought to take a moment to introduce herself to viewers who may not be familiar with her policies and resume, highlighting her background as a prosecutor, California attorney general and U.S. senator.

"We're not going back," she said. "And I do believe that the American people know we all have so much more in common than what separates us, and we can chart a new way forward."