On Tuesday night, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump engaged in a heated presidential debate, following President Joe Biden’s decision not to run for reelection after a poor showing against Trump earlier this summer.

This debate was the first in-person encounter between Harris and Trump, moderated by ABC News anchors David Muir and Linsey Davis. Their only prior interaction was when Harris attended Trump’s State of the Union addresses as a senator from California. Ordinarily, they would have met during the inauguration in 2020, but Trump skipped the event, claiming without evidence that the election was rigged.

The debate attracted attention as many speculated whether Harris, a former prosecutor, would effectively challenge Trump regarding his legal issues, especially since Biden struggled to do so in their previous debate on June 27. Although tensions were palpable during discussions on election integrity, immigration, and the economy, the muted microphones allowed the candidates to remain civil.

Here’s a summary of the key moments and visuals from debate night:

Handshake Moment

As Harris walked onto the debate stage, she extended her hand to Trump, who accepted it, marking a return to the traditional gesture that was absent in the Biden-Trump debate in June.

Handshakes used to be standard practice in presidential debates until Trump and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton chose to skip it in the 2016 election.

Trump Rejects Project 2025

During the debate, Harris claimed that if Trump wins, he would adopt Project 2025, a controversial conservative initiative she described as “detailed and dangerous.”

Trump dismissed any connection to Project 2025, repeatedly attempting to distance himself from it despite his links to many of its contributors.

“I haven’t read it,” Trump insisted. “I don’t want to read it.”

Debating Roe v. Wade

Trump, who appointed three conservative justices to the Supreme Court leading to the overturning of Roe v. Wade, falsely asserted that “everybody wanted” the decision.

Harris, expressing her strong support for reinstating the protections offered by Roe v. Wade if elected president, countered this claim.

“Women facing pregnancy complications, suffering from miscarriages, often find themselves denied critical care because healthcare providers fear legal repercussions, and that’s not what they want. Neither do their families,” Harris emphasized, highlighting the real implications of the overturning. “A young survivor of incest shouldn’t be forced to endure such trauma.”

Debate Over Democracy’s Threats

Amid talks about Trump’s 34 felony convictions and ongoing legal battles, Trump claimed, with no proof, that these charges are a tactic by the Biden-Harris administration to manipulate the Department of Justice to secure electoral success.

In response, Harris remarked that Trump has openly stated his intentions to utilize the Justice Department to go after his political adversaries, even suggesting he wanted to “terminate” the Constitution.

“This one is the actual weaponizer,” Trump pointed toward Harris, asserting that he had likely endured severe attacks due to the allegations made against him. “They accuse me of being a ‘threat to democracy,’ but they are the real threat,” he added.

Conversations on Race

Following Trump’s comment that Harris “turned Black” at the National Association of Black Journalists Annual Convention, he stated he “couldn’t care less” about her racial background.

Harris, who is of Black and Southeast Asian descent, expressed that it’s “tragic” that Trump has repeatedly exploited race to create divisions among Americans throughout his career. She highlighted Trump’s comments questioning Barack Obama’s birthplace and his unfounded claims about the Central Park Five.

“People in America deserve better than this,” Harris asserted. “They want more than this.”

Rachel Barber is a 2024 election fellow at YSL News, focusing on politics and education. Follow her on X, previously known as Twitter, at @rachelbarber_