During the highly anticipated debate against Vice President Kamala Harris, former President Donald Trump referred to the assassination attempt he survived earlier in the year, attributing the violence to the rhetoric from Harris and the Democratic Party. Trump claimed, "I probably took a bullet to the head because of the things that they say about me. They talk about democracy. I'm a threat to democracy. They're the threat to democracy," while speaking from the debate stage in Philadelphia on Tuesday evening.
The assassination attempt occurred in July during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The assailant, Matthew Crooks, fired shots, injuring Trump in the ear, wounding two audience members, and tragically killing local firefighter Corey Comperatore.
Trump's assertion that Democratic rhetoric may have incited the shooting was met with a strong rebuttal from Harris. She argued that Trump would likely use the Department of Justice to target his political opponents if re-elected. "Well, let's talk about extreme, and understand the context in which this election in 2024 is taking place. The United States Supreme Court recently ruled that the former president would essentially be immune from any misconduct if he were to enter the White House again," Harris remarked.
Trump, having recovered from the attack, was seen with a bandage over his ear just days later at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. This debate at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia marked the first direct face-off between Trump and Harris, following President Joe Biden’s decision to withdraw from the race amid growing concerns about his cognitive abilities.
The debate, which began at 9 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, provided Americans with a closer look at a drastically altered presidential race since the last debate in June. Within a short period, President Joe Biden withdrew from the race following a poor performance, Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt, and both political sides finalized their choices for running mates.
This debate could be the only time voters see Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Trump face off directly before the general election in November, as no additional debates have been scheduled.
The debate, hosted by ABC News, was conducted without a live audience, written notes, or live microphones when the candidates were not speaking, in accordance with the network's rules.
