Harris and Trump sparred in the high-stakes showdown.
The first presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump turned into a heated matchup that lasted more than 90 minutes.
The night started with a handshake initiated by Harris, but quickly escalated as the vice president bashed Trump over his policies and comments, contending that it was time to "offer is a new generation of leadership for our country."
Trump criticized Harris throughout the debate on topics such as Afghanistan and immigration issues, drawing comparisons between the vice president and President Joe Biden.
With Election Day just eight weeks away, the debate came at a critical point as polls show a neck-and-neck race between the candidates.
From abortion to the economy, Israel and Gaza to fracking, border security to domestic crime, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump offered many plans and claims during the debate tonight.
Trump repeated a false claim that Haitian migrants are eating pets in Ohio, which the city in question has said is false. Harris claimed Trump will sign a national abortion ban if he is re-elected, which he has not said he will do.
Debate fact checker | Fact checking the Trump-Harris debate.
Harris and Trump met for their first presidential debate on Tuesday night. The consequential matchup was hosted by ABC News at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.
Read a transcript of what was said in the 90-minute debate here.
Crowds are expected to gather at the City Tap House in Philadelphia for a nonpartisan event. It's very likely that different people will be cheering for different things.
6abc Action News reporter Trish Hartman will talk to viewers of tonight's debate to see their thoughts on the candidates' performances.
Trump landed at Philadelphia International Airport a short while ago for the debate. He could be seen raising his fist as he departed his plane.
Debates are a rare opportunity for candidates to change their perception among the American people. And right now, Harris is perceived more positively than Trump. According to 538's polling average, 46 percent of Americans view her favorably, while 47 percent view her unfavorably. While that's not exactly popular, it's a remarkable reversal from just a couple months ago. Before Biden dropped out of the presidential race, Harris had a net favorability rating of -16 points. But since she kicked off her campaign, her favorable rating has shot up, while her unfavorable rating has plummeted.
By contrast, according to 538's polling average, 43% of Americans view Trump favorably, while 53% view him unfavorably. Those numbers have been pretty consistent over the years. Trump's unfavorable rating has been about 10-15 points higher than his favorable rating since he left office in 2021, and his average job approval rating was in the same range for most of his term as president.
The stakes for this debate are high for both candidates for one very simple reason: The presidential race is extremely close right now. In some of the states most likely to decide the election - such as Pennsylvania, Georgia and North Carolina - 538's polling averages show Harris and Trump within 1 percentage point of each other.
Nationally, Harris leads Trump by an average of almost 3 points, raising the possibility that she could win the popular vote but lose the Electoral College, as Hillary Clinton did in 2016. According to 538's average, Harris's national lead peaked at 3.7 points on Aug. 23, the day after the Democratic National Convention, but her advantage has slipped a bit in the weeks since.
Read more on the latest polling here.
