US presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump held their first debate on ABC News. During the debate, the opponents discussed the economy, abortion, and foreign policy, Babel writes.
The war in Ukraine
Donald Trump reiterated that he would be able to “resolve” Russia’s war in Ukraine within 24 hours if he were re-elected president.
I want the war to stop. I want to save lives, because people are dying in the millions, – Trump said, answering a direct question from the moderator whether he would like Ukraine to win the war.
Trump also repeated the thesis that if he were president, Putin would not have invaded Ukraine.
I know Zelenskyy well, I know Putin well. I am respected, but Biden is not. And why should he be respected, he hasn’t called Putin in two years. If I’m elected, I’ll talk to one president, I’ll talk to the other, and the war will end, – Trump said.
Kamala Harris replied that “the reason Donald Trump says this war will end within 24 hours is because he will just give up”.
I met with Zelenskyy a few days before Russia invaded Ukraine. I shared with him American intelligence on how he could protect himself. A few days later, I went to NATO countries, Poland and Romania, and we united 50 countries to support Ukraine. Thanks to air defense, ammunition, artillery, Javelins, Abrams tanks, Ukraine is standing. […] We understand the importance of NATO and what we have done to preserve the ability of Ukrainians to fight for independence. Otherwise, Putin would be sitting in Moscow looking at the rest of Europe, starting with Poland, – Harris added.
In turn, Trump replied to Harris that “Putin would be sitting in Moscow, not having lost 300,000 of his people, and he would be much happier. He has nuclear weapons. Maybe he’ll use them, maybe he won’t”.
He also called Harris “a terrible negotiator” because “as soon as they came home (from Ukraine, after meeting with Zelenskyy – ed.), the invasion began”.
Foreign policy
Vice President Kamala Harris said that “world leaders are laughing at Donald Trump”. Responding to this, Trump praised the Hungarian Prime Minister, calling Viktor Orbán “one of the most respected people” and “a tough man”. Trump claimed that Orbán said: “You, Trump, are the president they were afraid of”, allegedly referring to China and Russia.
Regarding the war between Israel and Hamas, Harris continued to appeal to the plight of the people in Gaza and the need to release Israeli hostages and secure a ceasefire.
Trump claimed that “she hates Israel” and also hates “Arabs”, and also criticized Harris for allegedly disrespecting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a recent visit to Capitol Hill.
Economy
Kamala Harris emphasized her plan for an “economy of opportunity” and touted her proposals to increase housing affordability and expand the tax credit for families with children. Trump proposed to impose duties of 10 to 20% on most goods imported to the US, except for Chinese goods, which would receive 60% of the duty. He also proposed to cut corporate taxes.
Healthcare
Donald Trump emphasized that he has a “blueprint” for replacing the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Kamala Harris responded that Trump has tried dozens of times to get rid of the ACA, and instead touted the work of the Biden Administration to reduce the cost of prescription drugs and regulate the cost of insulin. She said she would strengthen the ACA if elected president.
Former President Donald Trump defended his decision to support a ban on abortion after six weeks of pregnancy and said that “Democrats are radical” in their abortion policies, although he believes abortion should be a state issue.
Harris criticized what she called Trump’s “abortion ban” and said that the former president “should not be telling a woman what to do with her body”.
American media suggest that Kamala Harris won the debate.
