Former United States President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris squared up in the first Presidential Debate in Philadelphia on ABC News.
Kicking off the debate, Trump took on the Biden-Harris administration saying that inflation in the US is probably the worst in nation's history.
Trump said that inflation is at 21 per cent and other things are 50 per cent, 60 per cent, 70 per cent, and 80 per cent higher than they were just a few years ago.
"We have inflation like very few people have ever seen before. Probably the worst in our nation's history. We were at 21 per cent but that's being generous, because many things are 50 per cent, 60 per cent, 70 per cent, and 80 per cent higher than they were just a few years ago. This has been a disaster for people, for the middle class, but for every class," he said.
Trump also attacked Biden-Harris on the issue of illegal immigration claiming that millions had poured in from 'mental institutions and insane asylums'.
"We have millions of people pouring into our country from prisons and jails, from mental institutions and insane asylums. And they're coming in and they're taking jobs that are occupied right now by African Americans and Hispanics and also unions. Unions are going to be affected very soon. And you see what's happening. You see what's happening with towns throughout the United States," Trump said.
Trump said that President Joe Biden had allowed illegal immigrants into the country and those immgrants were destroying the country now.
"We've had a terrible economy because inflation has, which is really known as a country buster, it breaks up countries. You look at Springfield, Ohio. You look at Aurora in Colorado. They are taking over the towns. They're taking over buildings. They're going in violently. These are the people that Xi and Biden led into our country, and they're destroying our country. They're dangerous. They're at the highest level of criminality, and we have to get them out. We have to get them out fast. I created one of the greatest economies in the history of our country. I'll do it again and even better," he said.
At one point Trump even made the claim that immigrants were resorting to eating pets of residents to meet extreme hunger. After Trump was fact checked on this by the host, Harris called this claim unfounded and said it showed how 'extreme' Trump's rhetoric has become.
She pointed to the scores of Republicans and former administration officials who have defected from Trump, saying 200 Republicans who worked for the former president have endorsed her.
"When we listen to this kind of rhetoric, when the issues that affect the American people are not being addressed," Harris said, "I think the choice is clear in this election."
Harris focused on Trump's allies scuttling a bipartisan immigration bill, which would have enacted some of the strictest measures in decades. Democrats have accused Republicans of intentionally blocking the bill to help Trump politically.
"He'd prefer to run on a problem instead of fixing a problem," Harris said
Speaking about if Americans will pay higher prices due to tariffs, Trump said, "They're not going to have higher prices. What's going to happen and who's going to have higher prices in China and all of the countries that have been ripping us off for years? I charge, I was the only president ever, China was paying us hundreds of billions of dollars and so were other countries. And, you know, if she doesn't like them, they should have gone out and they should have immediately cut the tariffs. But those tariffs are there three and a half years now under their administration, we are going to take in billions of dollars, hundreds of billions of dollars."
Harris repeatedly shook her head derisively as Trump spoke, occasionally staring at him with a hand on her chin, while Trump seemed to avoid looking toward the Democrat. Trump hewed closely to his rally talking points and familiar attacks.
As Harris seemed to try to interject during one of his responses, Trump replied, "I'm talking now, sound familiar?" harkening back to a moment when shut down an interruption from then-Vice President Mike Pence.
Harris sharply criticised Trump for the state of the economy and democracy when he left office, as the COVID-19 pandemic ravaged the nation and after his supporters stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in a bid to overturn the 2020 presidential election.
"What we have done is clean up Donald Trump's mess," Harris said.
She opened her answer by saying she expects voters to hear 'a bunch of lies, grievances and name calling' from her GOP opponent during their 90-minute debate.
-- with inputs from agencies
