What happened overnight in the US presidential debate?
The first debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris saw the pair clashing over a series of controversial topics.
In a night marked by personal digs, Trump and Harris traded barbs over policy and personality throughout the 90-minute debate.
Trump took aim at the vice president’s stances on issues like immigration and abortion, while Harris mocked the former president for the size of the crowds at his rallies and his conduct while in office.
Perhaps one of the more memorable moments was Trump repeating an unfounded claim that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, were abducting and eating residents’ pets – drawing laughter from Harris.
Read a full breakdown of the key TV debate updates or click below to skip to each section.
Trump refuses to answer whether he’d veto national abortion ban
Trump doubles down on false claims about Harris' racial identity
Debate moderator slams Trump’s false claim of babies being aborted after birth
Trump tries to dodge Harris’ handshake before debate starts
In a shocking slice of professionalism, or perhaps mind games, Trump and Harris shared an awkward handshake before Tuesday night’s presidential debate.
Harris initiated the greeting, walking to behind Trump’s podium for the brief moment after they each took the stage – Trump from the left and Harris from the right on TV broadcasts.
Trump gave Harris a strong handshake and told her “good luck” before Harris returned to her podium. In photos of the encounter, Harris appears to be smirking and giving Trump a side-eye.
Trump shares falsehoods about pet-eating
Republican presidential candidate Trump made numerous false assertions or extreme statements during Tuesday's debate with Harris, several times prompting a correction from the moderators.
Perhaps most striking was Trump amplifying a false claim that has gone viral that numerous Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, were stealing residents' pets or taking wildlife from parks for food.
"They're eating the dogs! The people that came in. They're eating the cats! They're eating, they're eating the pets of the people that live there," Trump said during the debate.
Trump doesn’t say he wants Ukraine to win war with Russia
Trump declined to say he would support Ukraine in its defence against Russia’s ongoing invasion, one of his starkest statements yet on the issue.
“A very simple question tonight: Do you want Ukraine to win this war?” asked moderator David Muir at the ABC News presidential debate held in Philadelphia.
“I want the war to stop,” Trump said. “That is a war that is dying to be settled. I will get it settled before I even become president.”
Trump refuses to answer whether he’d veto national abortion ban
Despite being pressed on the issue repeatedly, Trump refused to say whether he would sign a national abortion ban if elected to a second term.
The moderators at the ABC News presidential debate asked the Republican nominee to clarify his stance on reproductive rights. After pivoting wildly to ranting about student loan cancellation instead of answering if he would veto a national abortion ban, moderator Linsey Davis asked again.
“But if I could just get a yes or no, because your running mate, JD Vance, has said that you would veto it if it did come to your desk,” she said. “Well, I didn’t discuss it with JD, in all fairness,” Trump responded.
Trump doubles down on false claims about Harris' racial identity
Trump doubled down on false claims he made about Harris' racial identity, including that she "happened to turn black”.
Asked by moderators about previous comments, Trump said he "couldn't care less" about Harris' racial identity.
"I don't care what she is. I don't care," Trump. "Whatever she wants to be is okay with me."
Debate moderator slams Trump’s false claim of babies being aborted after birth
Trump repeated a familiar false claim that some states allow people to obtain abortions after a baby is born on the debate stage – a claim that was quickly smacked down by moderator Linsey Davis.
“[Democrats] have abortion in the ninth month,” the former president falsely stated.
He claimed, once again, that “the previous governor of West Virginia” said the state would “decide what to do with the baby” after it was born. “In other words, we’ll execute the baby,” Trump claimed.
Taylor Swift endorses Harris for US president
Taylor Swift, a self-declared "childless cat lady," endorsed Harris for president of the United States after the debate..
The global megastar broke her silence on the current state of US politics on Tuesday, voicing support for Harris over Trump for the White House, and calling the Democratic candidate a "steady-handed, gifted leader".
"I will be casting my vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in the 2024 presidential election," Swift, among the biggest names on the planet, posted on Instagram. She did so in the minutes following a televised presidential debate that saw the candidates face off for the first time, which the singer said she tuned in to.
