Harris baits, debates Trump in feisty Philly face-off

The first presidential debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris quickly grew combative

Donald Trump and Kamala Harris face off in presidential debate
The night ended with a long-awaited endorsement from pop megastar Taylor Swift, who is voting for Kamala Harris.
(Image credit: Saul Loeb / AFP via Getty Images)

What happened

Donald Trump and Kamala Harris squared off last night for their first, maybe only, debate before November's presidential election. The 90-minute debate began with Harris walking up to shake Trump's hand but quickly grew combative, with the vice president frequently putting Trump on the defensive. Minutes after the debate ended, pop megastar Taylor Swift endorsed Harris, saying she had watched and "done my research," and Harris is a "steady-handed, gifted leader" who would lead "by calm and not chaos."

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us
Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.