US Presidential debate 2024: Kamala Harris, Trump fight over China, tax cuts, trade deficit and inflation

Tax cuts and economy emerged as the starting points for Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump who met for the first time Tuesday in their first presidential debate of the 2024 election, hosted by ABC News.

Donald Trump and Kamala Harris on Inflation:
During the high voltage debate that could help in shaping 2024 Presidential elections, the two showcased differing view points on tax cuts, trade wars and more.

Trump, 78, criticized Harris for the persistent inflation during the Biden administration's term, though he overstated the level of price increases. He also pivoted quickly to his top issue, immigration, claiming again without evidence that immigrants from "insane asylums" are crossing the U.S. southern border with Mexico.


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Inflation, he said, "has been a disaster for people, for the middle class, for every class."

Trump's advisers and fellow Republicans have urged him to focus on the high levels of inflation and immigration during Biden's presidency, though both have dropped dramatically this year.

Donald Trump and Kamala Harris on tax cuts:
Harris used a question about her plans to improve the economy by saying she would extend the tax cut for families with children and a tax deduction for small businesses while attacking Trump’s plans to impose broad tariffs as a “sales tax” on goods that the American people will ultimately pay.

Trump was stone-faced during her answer but retorted: “I have no sales tax. That’s in incorrect statement. She knows that.”

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Donald Trump and Kamala Harris on trade wars:
During the debate, Kamala Harris alleged that 'Trump administration resulted in a trade deficit, one of the highest we’ve ever seen in the history of America.'

"He invited trade wars, you wanna talk about his deal with China what he ended up doing is under Donald Trump’s presidency he ended up selling American chips to China to help them improve and modernize their military basically sold us out when a policy about China should be in making sure the United States of America wins the competition for the 21st century," said the Vice Presient.

Kamala Harris also remembered to attack the former President over Covid-19 post for Chinese President. "But what Donald Trump did let’s talk about this with COVID, is he actually thanked President XI for what he did during COVID. Look at his tweet. "Thank you, President XI," exclamation point. When we know that XI was responsible for lacking and not giving us transparency about the origins of COVID," said Harris.

Responding to Harris, Trump said "First of all, they bought their chips from Taiwan. We hardly make chips anymore because of philosophies like they have and policies like they have. I don't say her because she has no policy. Everything that she believed three years ago and four years ago is out the window. She's going to my philosophy now. In fact, I was going to send her a MAGA hat."

"But when you look at what she's done to our country and when you look at these millions and millions of people that are pouring into our country monthly where it's I believe 21 million people, not the 15 that people say, and I think it's a lot higher than the 21. That's bigger than New York state. Pouring in. And just look at what they're doing to our country. They're criminals. Many of these people coming in are criminals. And that's bad for our economy too. You mentioned before, we'll talk about immigration later," said Trump.

(with agency inputs)