In the previous debate, Donald Trump eliminated Joe Biden from the 2024 presidential race, but on Tuesday night, during his face-off with his new Democratic contender Kamala Harris, the Republican found himself under pressure.

Then came Taylor Swift, who made her own striking impact.

Within the debate venue in Philadelphia, Trump was continually on the defensive regarding his legal troubles, denial of the election results, discord with former supporters, and his role in the Capitol attack. Even his cherished rallies became a point of contention, with Harris ridiculing them for their odd tangents and noting that his supporters often leave out of boredom.

Harris aimed to provoke Trump throughout the debate, frequently succeeding and leading to defensive, terse, and rambling responses from Trump as the vice president maintained an advantage for the majority of the event. Trump frequently reverted to discussing immigration, a topic he is well-known for, but struggled to present a steady critique and often relied on familiar but inaccurate claims that the moderators corrected.

Both candidates took the stage in Philadelphia amid polls indicating a close race within key swing states. They felt the need for strong performances during their inaugural debate.

Expectations were high from both campaigns. Harris aimed to impress on a significant stage and connect with undecided voters, while Trump had to demonstrate if he could critique Harris’ policies effectively without resorting to personal attacks.

This debate represented a critical moment for Harris since Biden’s departure, which happened nearly two months ago when she swiftly claimed the Democratic nomination. She invigorated the party and drew closer to Trump in visibility, although signs suggested her initial “honeymoon” period was fading as voters began to scrutinize her more closely.

Concerned Democrats saw a much more robust advocate in Harris compared to Biden, who often faltered during his confrontation with Trump on June 27 in Atlanta. Besides presenting a clearer and more coherent message, Harris appeared more composed than Trump as she effectively argued against him, prompting several angry outbursts from the former president.

Harris’ performance in the debate received immediate approval from Swift, the pop singer whose backing Democrats hope will inspire young voters to support them in retaining the White House.

Differentiating from Joe Biden

Harris asserted her dominance in the debate by consistently challenging Trump on various issues, providing serious critiques about his threats to democracy while also delivering humorous jabs regarding his interests like Hannibal Lecter and windmills.

Her strength as an opponent compared to Biden was clear from the outset, as she tackled a question about the economy and quickly shifted to discussing her plans for the middle class, then criticized what she termed a “Trump sales tax,” referencing his tariff proposals.

As Harris kept the pressure on, Trump defended his tariffs and other policies.

“Let’s discuss what Donald Trump has left us,” Harris stated during the debate, recapping the troubled state of the economy when he exited office, the COVID-19 pandemic, and “the most severe assault on our Democracy since the Civil War.”

The vice president dismissed his “same old tired playbook” and later focused on his rallies, suggesting people were leaving them out of “exhaustion and boredom.”

“People don’t leave my rallies,” Trump countered.

“We host the largest, most amazing rallies in political history,” he added.

ABC moderators provide real-time fact-checking

Trump sought to steer the debate towards immigration but was promptly corrected by the moderator after he inaccurately claimed that Haitian immigrants were consuming pets in Springfield, Ohio, based on comments seen on television.

“(The) Springfield city manager indicates there’s no evidence of that,” moderator David Muir pointed out.

The moderators also corrected Trump when he claimed that Democrats endorsed abortion policies permitting the killing of newborns and on his assertion that “crime is skyrocketing” in the country, referencing FBI data that indicated a decline in violent crime.

She came in aiming to portray herself as a candidate focused on the future, urging voters to look forward and “turn the page.”

The emphasis was strongest when Harris discussed the former president’s reaction to the January 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol by a group of his supporters.

“If that was too much for you, know that there is a place for you in our campaign,” Harris stated, adding: “Let’s navigate towards the future and not revert to the past.”

Moderators pressed Trump regarding the Capitol incident and his unfounded claims that the 2020 election was rigged.

When asked if he feels any regret about January 6, he defended his actions, blaming former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for the Capitol’s security issues. After Harris criticized his reaction on that day, Trump shifted the topic to immigration, asserting that migrants “are responsible for many deaths unlike Jan 6,” despite the injuries suffered by many police officers and some deaths among the crowd.

Continuing to falsely assert that “there’s so much evidence” regarding the stolen 2020 election, Trump tried to change the subject by declaring that “none of that matters because we need to address the current problems. That’s old news.”

Harris persisted, declaring that Trump was “dismissed by 81 million voters and he seems to be struggling to come to terms with that.”

She remarked that world leaders are “mocking Donald Trump” and noted that his remarks about the election indicate he may not possess the temperament or clarity to understand reality, which is “deeply concerning, and the American public deserves more.”

Trump couldn’t resist the temptation to respond, promoting his connection with Viktor Orban, Hungary’s authoritarian leader.