Former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris clashed in their first and potentially only debate, offering differing perspectives on the country’s current state. Amidst the exchange of jabs, both candidates made false and misleading claims about various issues.
One such claim was Trump touting his economy as one of the greatest in history, which was debunked as an exaggeration. The economy grew faster under Presidents Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan, while the fastest growth under Trump was 3% in 2018. The candidates also discussed inflation, with Trump falsely stating it was historically high under Biden, when in reality it has trekked down to 2.9% as of July 2024.
Harris mentioned a controversial plan called Project 2025, which Trump distanced himself from, denying any knowledge of it. The candidates also debated tax and spending plans, with Harris criticizing Trump’s proposal for exploding the deficit, while Trump accused Harris of similar deficit expansion.
On the topic of fracking, Trump falsely claimed that Harris would end fracking in Pennsylvania on Day 1, despite the limitations of a president’s power to ban fracking on federal lands. Similarly, Trump spread an unproven rumor about immigrants eating pets in Springfield, Ohio.
Overall, the debate highlighted the candidates’ disagreements on key issues, but also emphasized the importance of fact-checking and verifying claims made by political figures.
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