Trump vs Biden US Presidential Debate 2024 Live Updates: I think we did well, says Joe Biden - The Times of India (2024)

Donald Trump declared during his first debate against President Joe Bide ahead of November's presidential election that war in Ukraine "should have never started" had he been in office.

"That's right!" chanted his supporter Monika Rothenbuhler amid applause in a bar in San Francisco.

Rothenbuhler, the vice chair of the local branch of the Republican party, stood on conquered ground in the pub chosen by conservatives to watch the televised duel together, in a city where they represent a minority of voters.

Trump's many invectives and sarcasm targeting the Democratic president were met with laughter and shouts of approval, while Biden's every hesitation and throat-clearing was a moment of triumph for most, but not for 80-year-old Hazel Reitz.

"I can't understand a word that he says," she blurts out to her neighbor.

"I know, it's really sad," replied Adina Erridge.

The two women had met only moments earlier after spotting each other's reactions, which sharply contrasted the rest of the conservative audience.

President Vladimir Putin did not get up in the middle of the night to watch the US presidential debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump, and Russia will not comment on internal US politics, the Kremlin said on Friday.

Putin has professed indifference to the outcome of the November election and his spokesman Dmitry Peskov maintained that line, saying Russia had more important things to focus on.

"Well, look, I don’t think you expect the president of Russia might set an alarm clock, wake up before morning and watch the debates in the United States of America?" Peskov told reporters when asked if Putin had tuned in.

"We have a lot of issues that are really important for our country, which are relevant for us. These are the issues that our president is dealing with. Debates in the United States are not part of the main issues on the agenda."

A badly wounded Joe Biden looked to get his reelection campaign back on track Friday after a debate performance that unnerved supporters and left allies of Donald Trump unable to conceal their glee.

Democrats had hoped to see the president defiantly answering critics who say he is too old for a second term while hammering Trump on his criminal record and the threat they say he poses to democracy.

Instead, many acknowledged, they got a faltering display from a candidate who sounded hoarse for much of the showdown, stumbled over words, pulled punches, often stared open-mouthed and looked confused.

"There are no two ways about it -- that was not a good debate for Joe Biden," Democratic former White House communications chief Kate Bedingfield told host network CNN as the curtain came down on the match-up.

David Axelrod, a senior advisor in Barack Obama's administration, said Biden's performance had "confirmed people's fears" about an 81-year-old being too old for the Oval Office.

The president, who had spent days in mock debates at his Camp David retreat, was scheduled to begin the clean-up Friday with his largest event of the campaign, in the battleground state of North Carolina.

Indian-American entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy who dropped out of the 2024 Republican presidential race after finishing fourth in the Iowa caucuses earlier, has now taken a jibe at US President Joe Biden for his re-run, and said that the debates should use commercial breaks to swap in real Democratic nominee.

Ramaswamy's remarks came as the debate between Biden, 81, and Trump, 78, hosted by CNN concluded on Thursday night (local time).

Taking to X, Ramaswamy said, "The game is now more obvious than ever: the Democrat Party served up an old man as their sacrificial lamb tonight."

"They should use the commercial break to swap in the real Democratic nominee," he went on to say.

Slamming Biden for his Presidential candidacy, and the performance during Thursday night debate, Ramaswamy said, "The only time Biden came remotely close to life in the debate is when he's talking about Trump's conviction and J6. Turns out he doesn't give a damn about the things Americans actually care about."

He further added saying, "They didn't drug up Biden. They lobotomized him instead."

Ramaswamy, who was himself a contender for the White House run, said he was "shocked by Biden's brain-dead performance" in the President debate.

"The fact that anyone is shocked by Biden's brain-dead performance tonight is a scathing indictment of the media which has gone to great lengths to cover this fact up for the public," Ramaswamy said.

Former US president Donald Trump turned in a better performance than President Joe Biden during the first of presidential debates, a shift from 2020 when debate watchers saw the 81-year-old Democrat as outperforming his Republican rival. During Thursday's feisty debate that lasted roughly 90 minutes, President Biden and 78-year-old Trump sparred over the economy, immigration, foreign policy, abortion and national security. Both the leaders called each other a liar and the worst president in the history of the US.
Sixty-seven per cent to 33 per cent of the registered debate watchers said that Trump turned in a better performance, according to a CNN flash poll conducted by SSRS.

CNN was the host of the first of the three presidential debates held in Atlanta. Before the debate, the same voters said, 55 per cent to 45 per cent, that they expected Trump to perform better than Biden.

The poll's results reflect opinions of the debate only among those voters who tuned in and are not representative of the views of the full voting public – in their demographics, political preferences or the level of attention they pay to politics.

Debate watchers in the poll were 5 points likelier to be Republican-aligned than Democratic-aligned, making for an audience that was slightly more Republican-leaning than all registered voters nationally.

But the results are a shift from 2020 when Biden was seen by debate watchers as outperforming Trump in their presidential debates, CNN reported.

A 57 per cent majority of debate watchers Thursday night said they have no real confidence in Biden's ability to lead the country, and 44 per cent that they have no real confidence in Trump's ability to do so.

Those numbers are effectively unchanged from the poll taken before the debate, in which 55 per cent of those voters said they had no confidence in Biden and 47 per cent that they lacked confidence in Trump.

Neither candidate scores highly on this metric, but while just 36 per cent of debate watchers now say they have a lot of confidence in Trump's ability to lead the country, only 14 per cent say the same of Biden, the report said.

The CNN poll was conducted by text message with 565 registered US voters who said they watched the debate Thursday, and the poll findings are representative of the views of debate watchers only, CNN emphasised.

US President Joe Biden said early Friday that he believes he did well in a debate against Donald Trump, after wide criticism that his performance was faltering.

"I think we did well," Biden told reporters as he dropped by a Waffle House restaurant in Atlanta for post-debate food.

Former President Donald Trump repeatedly delivered aggressive, often misleading attacks against a shaky President Joe Biden during a 90-minute debate Thursday night, offering millions of voters a stark contrast during a high-stakes rematch in which Biden's performance was repeatedly foggy and disjointed.

Trump, 78, made wild assertions and lied repeatedly, remaining unapologetic about his alternate-reality claims about the 2020 election, while avoiding a grievance-filled rant. Biden, 81, spoke rapidly and appeared to meander through his answers, fumbling at the end of sentences even as he accused Trump of being a liar and a threat to democracy.

Here's what else to know:

-- Opening salvos: The debate started with a dramatic contrast between the two candidates. Trump responded to questions about taxes, inflation and abortion with aggression and discipline, repeatedly criticizing Biden's administration. Biden was halting and over-programmed, losing his train of thought on the subjects of Medicare and abortion. Biden spoke rapidly, sometimes appearing to mumble his words.

-- Trump pounces early: Trump seized on Biden's shakiness and early stumbles to underscore Republican questions about the president's mental capacity. When Biden trailed off during an answer on immigration, Trump quickly offered: "I really don't know what he said at the end of that sentence. I don't think he knows what he said, either." After an answer by Biden on immigration, Trump claimed that the president had allowed terrorists and criminals to cross the border. "I call it Biden migrant crime," Trump said.

A halting Joe Biden struggled Thursday to hold off a forceful offensive from Donald Trump as the two traded personal insults in the fiery first debate of a razor-close presidential race.

A bombastic Trump lashed out at his successor, calling him a failure on the economy and the world stage. Biden looked to hit back, but his delivery was hesitant as he spoke rapidly in a soft, trailing-off voice and stumbled on his words several times.

It was the first debate ever between a president and former president -- and each accused each other of being history's worst. Trump and Biden, who were each the oldest president when first elected, even accused each other of being childlike as they argued over their golf swings.

Biden, 81, and Trump, 78, did not shake hands as they walked to their podiums at the CNN headquarters in Atlanta. There was no live audience and their microphones muted as the other spoke -- rules agreed as they open a campaign in a deeply polarized country.

Biden, who was reported to have a cold, hit Trump with clearly rehearsed lines as he sought to remind millions of television viewers that Trump would be the first convicted felon in the White House.

CNN served up exactly the topics the candidates wanted to discuss.

In the weeks prior to the debate, the candidates and their campaigns openly signaled what they wanted to talk about: for Biden, it was abortion rights, the state of democracy and the economy. Trump wanted to talk immigration, public safety and inflation. In each case, the candidates’ aides thought it would allow them to tee up winning talking points.

They got their wish: CNN’s moderators, Jake Tapper and Dana Bash, opened the debate by asking about the economy, before turning to abortion and immigration, then hitting foreign policy and the attacks on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

The economy is the number one concern for voters, and registered U.S. voters favor Trump on the issue, 43% to 37%, according to Reuters/Ipsos polling this month. The Republican has a more significant edge - 44% to 31% - on immigration. Americans favor Biden 36% to 27% on healthcare.

Whether the debate changes those numbers remains to be seen.

Trump, referring to Biden: “He’s the one that killed people with a bad border and flooding hundreds of thousands of people dying and also killing our citizens when they come in.”

The facts: A mass influx of migrants coming into the US illegally across the southern border has led to a number of false and misleading claims by Trump. For example, he regularly claims other countries are emptying their prisons and mental institutions to send to the US There is no evidence to support that.

Trump has also argued the influx of immigrants is causing a crime surge in the US, although statistics actually show violent crime is on the way down.

There have been recent high-profile and heinous crimes allegedly committed by people in the country illegally. But FBI statistics do not separate out crimes by the immigration status of the assailant, nor is there any evidence of a spike in crime perpetrated by migrants, either along the US-Mexico border or in cities seeing the greatest influx of migrants, like New York. Studies have found that people living in the country illegally are less likely than native-born Americans to have been arrested for violent, drug and property crimes. For more than a century, critics of immigration have sought to link new arrivals to crime. In 1931, the Wickersham Commission did not find any evidence supporting a connection between immigration and increased crime, and many studies since then have reached similar conclusions.

Texas is the only state that tracks crimes by immigration status. A 2020 study published by the National Academy of Sciences found “considerably lower felony arrest rates” among people in the United States illegally than legal immigrants or native-born.

Some crime is expected given the large population of immigrants. There were an estimated 10.5 million people in the country illegally in 2021, according to the latest estimate by Pew Research Center, a figure that has almost certainly risen with large influxes at the border. In 2022, the Census Bureau estimated the foreign-born population at 46.2 million, or nearly 14% of the total, with most states seeing double-digit percentage increases in the last dozen years.

Biden: Trump told Americans to “inject bleach” into their arms to treat Covid-19.

The Facts: That’s overstating it. Rather, Trump asked whether it would be possible to inject disinfectant into the lungs.

“And then I see the disinfectant, where it knocks it out in one minute,” he said at an April 2020 press conference. “And is there a way we can do something like that, by injection inside or almost a cleaning, because you see it gets in the lungs and it does a tremendous number on the lungs, so it’d be interesting to check that, so that you’re going to have to use medical doctors with, but it sounds interesting to me. So, we’ll see, but the whole concept of the light, the way it kills it in one minute. That’s pretty powerful.”

Trump: “The problem they have is they’re radical because they will take the life of a child in the eighth month, the ninth month, and even after birth, after birth.”

The Facts: Trump inaccurately referred to abortions after birth. Infanticide is criminalized in every state, and no state has passed a law that allows killing a baby after birth.

Abortion rights advocates say terms like this and “late-term abortions” attempt to stigmatize abortions later in pregnancy. Abortions later in pregnancy are exceedingly rare. In 2020, less than 1% of abortions in the United States were performed at or after 21 weeks, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Abortions later in pregnancy also are usually the result of serious complications, such as fetal anomalies, that put the life of the woman or fetus at risk, medical experts say. In most cases, these are also wanted pregnancies, experts say.

President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump traded barbs and a variety of false and misleading information as they faced off in their first debate of the 2024 election.

There’s no comparing the volume of false and misleading claims Trump has deployed throughout his campaigns and presidency with Biden, who tends to lean more on exaggerations and embellishments rather than outright lies. Here’s a look at the false and misleading claims by the two candidates.

Economy

Trump: We had the greatest economy in history.”

The Facts: That’s not accurate. First of all, the pandemic triggered a massive recession during his presidency. The government borrowed $3.1 trillion in 2020 to stabilize the economy. Trump had the ignominy of leaving the White House with fewer jobs than when he entered.

But even if you take out issues caused by the pandemic, economic growth averaged 2.67% during Trump’s first three years. That’s pretty solid. But it’s nowhere near the 4% averaged during Bill Clinton’s two terms from 1993 to 2001, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. In fact, growth has been stronger so far under Biden than under Trump.

Trump did have the unemployment rate get as low as 3.5% before the pandemic. But again, the labor force participation rate for people 25 to 54 — the core of the US. working population — was higher under Clinton. The participation rate has also been higher under Biden than Trump.

Trump also likes to talk about how low inflation was under him. Gasoline fell as low as $1.77 a gallon. But, of course, that price dip happened during pandemic lockdowns when few people were driving. The low prices were due to a global health crisis, not Trump’s policies.

Similarly, average 30-year mortgage rates dipped to 2.65% during the pandemic. Those low rates were a byproduct of Federal Reserve efforts to prop up a weak economy, rather than the sign of strength that Trump now suggests it was.

In his recent closing remarks, Donald Trump began by referring to Joe Biden as "a complainer," asserting that his actions have compromised the safety of the United States and tarnished its global reputation.

Trump also alleged that Biden's approach to Iran enabled Hamas to launch attacks against Israel, and stated, "Ukraine should have never happened."
Reflecting on Biden's tenure as president, Trump declared, "For three and a half years, we've been living in hell."

He mentioned the wave of pro-Palestinian demonstrations across the US since the outbreak of the Israel-Gaza conflict on October 7th, addressing Biden directly: "the whole country is exploding because of you, because they don't respect you."

Trump then proceeded to highlight his own accomplishments in the areas of employment, the economy, and healthcare.

In his closing statement, he affirmed, "We're a failing nation, but it's not going to be failing anymore. We're going to make it great again."

As the ad break concludes, Biden utilises his allotted two minutes for closing remarks to emphasise the policy initiatives he intends to implement for the benefit of the American populace.

The candidate discusses his endeavours to decrease the cost of Insulin and commits to assisting families in obtaining affordable childcare.

Additionally, Biden promises to tackle inflation, acknowledging its significance to a substantial portion of the American public. He expresses his intention to maintain low taxes for average citizens while asserting that Trump will escalate them.

President Biden addressed Donald Trump's persistent claims about the 2020 election during a segment before the commercial break. Biden referred to Trump as a "whiner" who sought legal recourse in various courts throughout the United States.

"Not one single court in America said any of your claims had any merit, state or local, none," he says. "But you continue to promote this lie."

Furthermore, Biden expressed skepticism about Trump's willingness to accept the outcome of the 2024 election.

"You can't stand a loss. Something snapped in you when you lost the last time."

In the moments preceding the commercial break, Donald Trump directed his criticism towards Joe Biden's approach to international affairs and military strategies. Trump expressed his belief that the current state of global affairs has brought us to the brink of a third World War, stating, "we are closer to World War III than anybody can imagine."

Trump further asserted that authoritarian leaders, specifically mentioning Kim Jong Un of North Korea and Xi Jingping of China, do not hold Biden in high regard or fear his authority.

In response to Trump's remarks, Biden invoked Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (Nato), which is triggered when a member nation of the alliance comes under attack.

"Right now we're needed," Biden says. "We're needed to protect the world because our own safety is at stake." He emphasizes that the United States' involvement is crucial in safeguarding global security, as the country's own well-being is intrinsically linked to the stability of the international community.

Furthermore, Biden argues that the consequences of inaction - allowing Vladimir Putin to proceed with his assault on Kyiv without facing opposition - would ultimately lead to a full-scale war, rather than preventing one.

The debate took an amusing turn when the conversation shifted to the candidates' golfing abilities. Biden and Trump began to playfully compare their athletic achievements on the golf course.

Trump jokingly suggested that Biden would struggle to hit a golf ball even a modest distance of 50 yards. However, Biden was ready with a witty retort.
"I got my handicap ... down to a six," Biden says. "I told him I'd be happy to play golf if he carries his own bag."

The exchange provided a brief moment of levity in an otherwise serious political debate, as the two candidates engaged in a bit of good-natured ribbing over their golfing prowess.

President Biden, the oldest president to be inaugurated, has faced questions about his age and the fact that he would be 86 at the end of a potential second term. In response, he points out that he was often criticized for being one of the youngest US lawmakers and that Trump, who is three years younger, is "a lot less competent".

"Look at the record. Look at how I turned around the terrible situation he left me," Biden says, before listing some of his accomplishments during his presidency.
When asked about his own age, the 78-year-old Trump claims he "aced" two cognitive tests and then proceeds to insult Biden. He says, "We knock on wood, wherever we have wood, I'm in very good health," before shifting the focus to his golf game, which he believes to be strong.

Trump goes on to criticize Biden's golfing abilities, stating, "He doesn't do it. He can't hit a ball 50 yards." He then asserts that he feels as fit as he did 25 to 30 years ago, adding, "In fact, I'm a little bit lighter."

President Trump and former Vice President Biden were questioned about the opioid epidemic in the United States and their strategies to assist Americans battling addiction, considering that overdose deaths increased during both of their terms in office.

In his response, Trump stated, "We were doing very well on addiction until Covid came along," suggesting that the influx of drugs through the border began to rise during the pandemic. He then proceeded to criticize Biden's border policies once more.

Biden, on the other hand, mentioned that his administration has made efforts to enhance the capacity to identify drugs, such as fentanyl, at the border. Furthermore, he stated that he has been collaborating with countries in Asia, where fentanyl precursors are produced, as well as with Mexico, in an attempt to address the crisis.

In his recent remarks, former President Donald Trump addressed the case of Evan Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal reporter who was arrested in Russia while carrying out his journalistic duties.

Trump criticized President Biden, asserting that the current administration has not taken sufficient action to secure Gershkovich's release. The former president expressed confidence in his ability to resolve the situation, stating, "As soon as I win the election, I will have that reporter out."

Trump's comments suggest that he believes his diplomatic skills and relationships with Russian officials would enable him to swiftly negotiate the journalist's freedom if he were to regain the presidency.

US President Joe Biden and his Republican rival Donald Trump traded attacks on abortion and their handling of the economy early in their debate on Thursday night, giving voters a rare side-by-side look at the two oldest candidates ever to seek the US presidency.

The 90-minute televised clash on CNN was taking place far earlier in the election cycle than any other modern presidential debate, more than four months before the Nov. 5 election.

Comments:

Karl Schamotta, chief market strategist, Corpay, Toronto

"Biden is turning in a disastrous performance, triggering a sharp rise in odds on a Trump victory. This is translating into a tumble in trade-sensitive currencies - the Mexican peso, Canadian dollar, and even the euro are dropping against the greenback, and Chinese equity markets are coming down hard as investors hedge against a more isolationist turn in the United States after the November election."

The focus of the discussion has shifted to the issue of childcare affordability. When asked about his plans to address this problem, Trump chooses to redirect the conversation back to his criticisms of Biden's performance regarding the US border.

In response, Biden defends his record and launches a scathing attack on Trump, declaring him "the worst president in American history." He also points out that Trump's actions did little to improve the affordability of childcare during his tenure.

Given another opportunity to address the question, Trump opts to defend his presidential conduct. "They rate me as one of the best, and if I'm given another four years I will be the best," Trump asserts, emphasizing his belief in his own performance and potential for future success.

President Trump has accused Biden of being the most dishonest person he has ever encountered, claiming that "Everything he does is a lie." He also criticized Biden's handling of veteran's affairs, suggesting that his actions have been detrimental to the well-being of those who have served in the military.

Furthermore, Trump has alleged that Biden is responsible for undermining the stability of Social Security by allowing "millions of people" to be added to the public pension scheme. He expressed his disbelief at the treatment of veterans by the Department of Veterans Affairs under Biden's leadership, stating, "What they're doing to the VA [Department of Veterans Affairs] and to our veterans is unbelievable."

Trump contrasted the situation of veterans with that of migrants, claiming that while "Our veterans are living in the streets," migrants are being provided with "luxury hotels" to reside in. This comparison highlights the perceived disparity in the treatment of these two groups, with Trump suggesting that the needs of veterans are being neglected in favor of accommodating migrants.

President Biden's campaign team has revealed that his hoarse voice during the recent debate was due to a cold he has been battling for the past several days. The president's condition was not disclosed to the media until nearly an hour into the event.

Campaign officials said, "Biden campaign officials say the president's raspy voice is result of a cold he's had over the last few days." This information was provided to journalists after a significant delay of 45 minutes from the start of the debate.

Based on the data gathered by CNN, Donald Trump has spoken for a longer duration than Joe Biden during the debate. Trump has spoken for 23 minutes and six seconds, while Biden has spoken for 18 minutes and 26 seconds.

The debate rules state that "Both candidates are given an equal amount of time to respond to questions, although they do not necessarily have to use the entire time."
As the debate progresses, "CNN will continue publishing these statistics every few minutes throughout the evening."

President Donald Trump has adjusted his demeanor to suit the television medium. He is communicating with conviction, but without the usual flamboyance that characterizes his rally speeches.

Moreover, Trump is providing more succinct responses, in contrast to his propensity for extensive digressions during campaign appearances.

President Biden has set his sights on Donald Trump, focusing on a topic that resonates with a significant portion of the American population: Social Security.

According to Biden, Trump is in favor of reducing the benefits provided by Social Security and Medicare. Biden said, "He thinks there's plenty to cut."

The President's remarks highlight the contrasting views between the two political figures regarding these crucial social programs that many Americans rely on for their financial well-being in retirement.

When questioned about the climate crisis and its catastrophic consequences, such as extreme heat, and what measures he would implement if elected, Trump's response focused on his desire for clean air and water.

Trump asserted, "And we had it," claiming that during his administration, the United States achieved "the best environmental numbers ever."

However, Biden countered Trump's assertions by pointing out that the United States withdrew from the Paris climate accord under Trump's leadership.

President Biden addressed concerns raised by some African American voters who feel that insufficient progress has been made on various fronts, such as maternal mortality rates. Recent surveys indicate a decline in Biden's support among this demographic.

In response, Biden expressed understanding towards the disappointment felt by black voters. However, he highlighted the advancements that have been made for many African Americans, citing reduced housing segregation as an example. "We're going to do a whole lot more for black families," he assured.

The President acknowledged the need for further action to address the issues affecting the black community and pledged to intensify efforts to support and uplift African American families.

Biden, 81, seemed to lose his train of thought while responding to a question about the national debt.

His voice trailing off several times, Biden first referred to "billionaires" as "trillionaires" before correcting himself.

Then, while arguing that the wealthy should pay more tax, he seemed unable to complete his sentence, pausing for an extended awkward moment, before ending his thought in a way that sounded nonsensical.

Tax reform would create money to help "strengthen our healthcare system, making sure that we're able to make every single solitary person eligible for what I was able to do with the, with the COVID, excuse me, with dealing with everything we had to do with," Biden said before pausing.

"We finally beat Medicare," Biden said, likely referring to COVID-19.

Trump, 78, pounced.

"He's right. He did beat Medicare. He beat it to death."

Democratic US President Joe Biden and his Republican rival Donald Trump took the stage on Thursday night for a debate that offers voters a rare side-by-side look at the two oldest candidates ever to seek the US presidency.

Here are some of the major takeaways from the debate:

No handshake, hoarse voice

The two men, who make no secret of their disdain for each other, did not shake hands as they walked to their podiums at the start of the debate. Biden frequently referred to Trump as "this guy" during his remarks.

Biden, noticeably hoarse, accused Trump of leaving him a "terrible" economy in response to the moderators' first question about the rising prices paid by consumers.

Trump replied that Biden's handling of COVID was a "disaster" and said inflation was "absolutely killing us."

He blamed the pandemic for wrecking the economy and his shot at re-election. "Everything was rocking good," he said.

Voters, right now, seem to be agreeing more with Trump than Biden, with polls showing they favor Trump's handling of the economy. Biden's challenge on Thursday was to make clear to viewers that his administration is the one that dug the country out of the pandemic-induced hole.

In a surprising turn of events, Biden has finally addressed Trump's recent legal troubles in New York, where he was found guilty on 34 counts related to falsifying business records. This marks the first time Biden has directly mentioned the conviction during tonight's event.

"There's only one person that's a convicted felon and I'm looking at him right now," Biden states, making it clear that he is referring to Trump.

Furthermore, Biden questions Trump's character, particularly in light of the alleged relationship with Stormy Daniels, a former adult film actress. Despite Trump's denial of the relationship, Biden asserts that Trump possesses the "morals of an alley cat."

In response to a request for clarification regarding his pledge to pursue his political adversaries, Trump asserts that his form of retribution will involve restoring the United States to its former prosperity.

Additionally, Trump mentions the recent criminal conviction of Hunter Biden and insinuates that President Biden should also face legal consequences for his alleged misconduct during his presidency, which Trump describes as "horrible," once he leaves office.

"This man is a criminal," Trump says of Biden. "I did nothing wrong."

Biden, in turn, strongly objects to the comparison between his actions and those of Trump, deeming it "outrageous."

President Biden has accused former President Trump of "encouraging" the rioters who stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021. He alleges that Trump took no action for "three hours" despite then-Vice President Mike Pence's pleas for him to intervene and put an end to the violence.

According to Biden, rather than condemning the rioters' actions, Trump referred to them as "great patriots for America." The current president believes that those who participated in the riot should face legal consequences and be held responsible for their actions.

Biden's statements highlight the stark contrast between his view of the events that unfolded on January 6th and the alleged response of the former president. The accusations underscore the ongoing political divide and the differing perspectives on the severity and implications of the Capitol riot.

Donald Trump is standing by his behavior surrounding the events of January 6, 2021, when a mob stormed the US Capitol following his call to supporters to challenge the outcome of the 2020 presidential election.

When asked about the incident, Trump initially avoided addressing the riot directly, instead asserting that America's global standing has deteriorated under President Biden's leadership.
Trump then defended his actions, stating, "I said 'peacefully' and 'patriotically'," and shifted blame to former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, claiming they rejected his proposal to deploy 10,000 National Guard members.
Previously, Trump has described some individuals imprisoned for offenses committed during the January 6 riot as "political prisoners" and pledged to review their cases if he returns to the White House.

In response to a question regarding the situation in Gaza, former President Donald Trump said that Israel should "finish the job". This statement suggests his support for Israel's military actions in the region.

Trump then made a comparison, saying that President Joe Biden has become like "a Palestinian", despite acknowledging Biden's unpopularity among the Palestinian people. This remark seems to imply a perceived shift in Biden's stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Furthermore, Trump reiterated his concerns about US support for Ukraine, highlighting that European nations have contributed less financially than the United States. He questioned why Biden has not pressured Nato allies to increase their monetary contributions to the cause.

President Biden addressed the ongoing conflict in Gaza, which has caused a rift among some of his Democratic supporters. When questioned about the strategies he would employ to persuade Hamas and Israel to cease hostilities, Biden responded by placing the blame squarely on Hamas, asserting that they are the sole party unwilling to end the war.

The President reiterated his unwavering support for Israel and called for the elimination of Hamas. His stance on the issue remains clear, emphasizing the need to bring an end to the violence while maintaining a strong alliance with Israel.

In a high-stakes discussion about the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, President Biden issued a stern warning, asserting his belief that Vladimir Putin is a "war criminal" with ambitions to resurrect a portion of the "old Soviet empire".

Biden raised concerns about Putin's potential expansionist goals beyond Ukraine, questioning, "Do you think he wants to stop there [Ukraine]?....what do you think happens to Poland, to Belarus, to those Nato countries?"

The President also highlighted the United States' approach to supporting Ukraine, emphasizing that the US provides weapons rather than financial aid. He noted that Nato's collective efforts in supplying Ukraine are on par with the US contribution, saying, "That's why we're strong."

President Biden defended his foreign policy decisions in the Middle East and Afghanistan, following criticism from former President Trump.

Regarding Ukraine, Biden asserted that Trump gave Putin free rein, saying, "He, in fact, didn't do it at all. They've lost thousands and thousands of troops," before being interrupted.

Trump quickly retorted, "I never said that," disputing Biden's claim about his alleged statement to Putin.

President Joe Biden resorted to a familiar retort when former President Donald Trump accused him of being responsible for Russia's military incursion into Ukraine.
In response to Trump's allegation, Biden declared, "I've never heard so much malarkey in my life."

The President's use of the term "malarkey," which denotes nonsense or foolishness, is a trademark phrase he often employs to express his disagreement or disbelief.

In response to Trump's accusations regarding a surge in migrant crime under Biden's administration and the president's low approval ratings among veterans, Biden firmly saidid, "Every single thing he said is a lie."

The president emphasizes his administration's deep respect for veterans and mentions his son Beau Biden's exposure to burn pits during his service in Iraq.
Biden also references a controversial incident from Trump's presidency, where the former president allegedly referred to fallen US soldiers as "losers and suckers." Addressing Trump directly, Biden says, "My son was not a loser and not a sucker. You're the sucker. You're the loser."

Trump denies ever making the statement, claiming that the quote was fabricated. He asserts, "Nobody has taken better care of our soldiers than I have."

Donald Trump, who has pledged to carry out large-scale deportations if elected, was questioned about his intentions to remove "every undocumented immigrant to America," including those who have resided in the United States for many years. The inquiry also sought details on how he would accomplish this goal.

In his response, Trump reaffirmed his assertions that the immigration policies and "open border" approach of Joe Biden have played a role in the escalation of crime rates across the country.

"We have to get a lot of these people out and we have to get them out fast, because they are going to destroy our country," Trump said, without providing further specifics on his proposed strategies for implementing the deportations.

President Joe Biden made several verbal missteps Thursday in the opening minutes of his debate with his Republican rival, Donald Trump, as both took the stage seeking to define their presidential rematch.
Biden had a raspy voice, struggling repeatedly to clear his throat, and had a halting delivery as he tried to defend his economic record and criticize Trump. Biden appeared to lose his train of thought while giving one answer, drifting from an answer on tax policy to health policy, at one point using the word “COVID,” and then saying, “excuse me, with, dealing with,” and he trailed off again.

“Look, we finally beat Medicare,” Biden said, as his time ran out on his answer.

Trump picked right up on it, saying, “That’s right, he did beat Medicair, he beat it to death. And he’s destroying Medicare.”

Trump falsely suggested Biden was weakening the social service program because of migrants coming into the country.

Trump is continuing to attack Biden on his border policies.

He claims prisoners, people from mental health institutions and terrorists are coming into the country from across the border.

Biden rebuts, saying there is no data to support what Trump is claiming.

The candidates have now turned to abortion, with Biden saying the repeal of Roe v Wade - which had established a constitutional right to abortion - has been a "terrible thing".

"The vast majority of constitutional scholars supported Roe v Wade when it was decided," Biden said. "This idea that they were all against it is ridiculous."

The idea that states can mandate their own abortion regulations, Biden added, is like having "each state have a different rule" on civil rights.

He says the choice to have an abortion is between a woman and her doctor and pledges to restore Roe v Wade if re-elected.

"No politician should be making that decision."