The Democratic presidential candidate, Kamala Harris and Republican candidate Donald Trump engaged in the first televised 2024 presidential debate, less than two months before the US presidential elections which were scheduled for November 5.
The debate, hosted by ABC in Pennsylvania, focused on the positions of the two parties regarding prominent issues in the US, like the economy, immigration, borders and foreign policy.
It was hosted in Pennsylvania due to the state’s pivotal role as a swing state, alongside Wisconsin, Georgia, North Carolina, Arizona, Nevada and Michigan, all of which had significant Muslim and Arab American populations.
Kamala Harris began the debate and presented herself as a champion of the middle class and a capable leader for the future of the US, she emphasized her “opportunity economy” plan to uplift the middle class and create economic opportunities.
“Donald Trump left us the worst unemployment since the Great Depression. Donald Trump left us the worst public health epidemic
in a century,” Harris remarked, addeding that Trump’s presidency saw the worst attack on US democracy since the Civil War, referencing the Capitol riot.
Harris also criticized Trump’s trade policies, claiming they led to a trade deficit and economic instability, while she focused on strengthening economic alliances.
In response, Trump accused Harris of lacking a comprehensive plan, he reiterated his support for tax cuts, worker advocacy, and economic recovery, especially in the face of challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic, and vowed to impose additional tariffs on imports, particularly from China, blaming the Biden administration for economic mismanagement and inflation.
The two candidates exchanged sharp criticisms on various issues, including tariffs on China and their economic impact on American citizens.
On the Gaza conflict, Harris emphasized that the “war must end” and reiterated her support for a two-state solution.
Trump countered, claiming that the October 7 attacks would not have occurred unde
r his presidency, accusing Harris of hostility toward the Israeli occupation, saying “If she’s president, I believe that Israel will not exist within two years from now.” Regarding immigration, Trump slammed the Biden administration for allowing millions of illegal immigrants into the US, some of whom he claimed were criminals endangering American cities and called for urgent legislation to close the southern border.
On the Russia-Ukraine war, Trump stated that the conflict would not have started under his presidency, saying that “If I were president it would have never started. If I were president Russia would have never, ever — I know Putin very well. He would have never — and there was no threat of it either.” Harris, however, defended the administration’s support for Ukraine, highlighting Biden’s success in rallying 50 nations to oppose Russian aggression.
“If Donald Trump were president, Putin would be sitting in Kyiv right now,” Harris declared, accusing Trump that he “admires dictators.” On Iran, T
rump claimed that the country was financially crippled under his administration, but that the Democrats restored its wealth, which was now funding terrorism in the Middle East.
Prior to the debate, massive protests erupted in the streets of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, condemning the Israel occupation’s aggression on Gaza and the Demonstrators called for an end to the devastating conflict and a shift in US policy in the Middle East.
This debate marked Harris’s first as the official Democratic candidate, while former President Trump have previously faced President Joe Biden and former Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton during the 2016 elections.
Source: Kuwait News Agency