NationalWatch

EXCLUSIVE: Republicans would pull out every stop to block a Harris administration from negotiating another Iran deal, according to the House’s No. 3 Republican, Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York. 

“We would block that at every turn,” the GOP Conference chairwoman vowed in an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital.

“Biden and Kamala Harris have given hundreds of billions of dollars straight to Iran, the greatest sponsor of terror, and the dollars are going to support proxies like Hamas and Hezbollah, which are attacking Israel every single day.”

Two separate agreements last fall that included a prisoner swap allowed Iran to access up to $16 billion of its previously frozen assets.

STEFANIK FILES ETHICS COMPLAINT AGAINST TRUMP TRIAL JUDGE 

Republicans would pull out every stop to block a Harris administration from negotiating another Iran deal, according to Rep. Elise Stefanik, R–N.Y. (Reuters/Mike Segar)

Middle East watchers have predicted that Vice President Kamala Harris would be much more likely to take to the negotiating table to try to prevent Iran from creating a nuclear weapon than using military deterrence and financial sanctions. 

In 2019, Harris said she favored rejoining the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) aimed at limiting Iran’s nuclear programs.

“President Trump’s unilateral withdrawal from an agreement that was verifiably preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon — against the warnings of our closest allies and without any plan for what comes next — was beyond reckless,” she said.

She said she would seek to rejoin the deal “so long as Iran also returned to verifiable compliance.”

Iran has a growing stockpile of uranium enriched to just below weapons-grade, and some fear it could create a nuclear weapon before the end of the year. 

Trump recently warned that sanctions should be used “as little as possible” to “continue to have [the U.S. dollar] be the world currency.”

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei alongside a look inside a Uranium plant. Iran has a growing stockpile of uranium enriched to just below weapons-grade. (Getty Images)

“I use sanctions very powerfully against countries that deserve it, and then I take them off because, look, you’re losing Iran, you’re losing Russia. China is out there trying to get their currency to be the dominant currency.” 

In a wide-ranging interview on the House GOP’s national security priorities, Stefanik, a member of the Intelligence and Armed Services committees, said if the GOP keeps control of the House next Congress, it would continue to work to defund the U.N. Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA) and “address these foreign dollars going into universities, put a stop to that.” 

President Biden signed an appropriations package in March that banned funding to UNRWA for one year after some of its employees were found to have ties to Hamas. 

STEFANIK: HARRIS UNFIT TO BE COMMANDER IN CHIEF

The chairwoman declined to say whether the House would authorize more funding for Ukraine or Taiwan once this year’s foreign aid packages dry up but noted concerns about oversight of U.S. aid in Ukraine.

A firefighter walks through the rubble of the twin towers of the World Trade Center as a U.S. flag hangs from a traffic light post Sept. 11, 2001. Stefanik said she is “not confident” the U.S. is secure from another 9/11-style attack. (Doug Kanter/AFP)

“I have major concerns about the lack of accountability for the billions of dollars that have gone to Ukraine,” she said. “We are continuing to get more reports from the Pentagon that they can’t account for — to the tune of billions of dollars.

“The only person who can solve that conflict is Trump,” Stefanik added. “If you look at modern-day presidents, [Russian President Vladimir] Putin invaded other countries during every modern president except for President Trump.”

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And on the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Stefanik revealed she is not confident the U.S. is equipped to prevent another similar tragedy. 

“If you look at the attack against Israel, the Iranians [are] on the march. The same terrorists that are chanting ‘Death to Israel’ are also chanting ‘Death to America,’” she said. “We have individuals on the terrorist watch list who have crossed our open borders. … That is a national security threat.” 

Testimony provided to the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday highlighted the impact that some “soft on crime” policies have had on everyday Americans, from vicious attacks on the street to an enduring fentanyl epidemic. 

“Journalists and politicians like to repeat the statistic that immigrants commit less crime than Americans,” Amanda Kiefer, victim of an attack by an illegal immigrant in San Francisco, told the assembled congressional members. 

“Even if not manipulated, I think I find that kind of irrelevant,” Kiefer said. “If we’re letting in any more criminals, that’s one too many. We already have enough criminals in this country, and we really do little to keep them from committing more crimes.”

Kiefer in 2008 was with a group of friends when 20-year-old Alexander Izaguirre stole her purse and then attempted to run her down in a waiting SUV, fracturing her skull. 

TRUMP SPARS WITH HARRIS, MODERATORS DURING HEATED PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE

Izaguirre was in the country illegally and had been arrested a few months prior to the attack on drug charges. But he was free due to a program launched by then-District Attorney Kamala Harris that allowed nonviolent offenders to avoid jail by entering job training and having their records expunged. 

Vice President Kamala Harris during the debate at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024. (Doug Mills/The New York Times/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Kiefer’s testimony on Wednesday at the “The Consequences of Soft-On-Crime Policies” hearing hit hard on the programs that put someone like Izaguirre back on the streets, accusing the politicians responsible of holding a “commitment to that Marxist principle that criminals are just victims of capitalism, that somehow a job or handout will eliminate their tendency toward violent crime.” 

“No-bail laws, later sentencing and identity politics-driven leniency put violent people on the streets again to harm others,” Kiefer said. “There’s no fear of being caught or any reason to stop committing crimes.”

TRUMP SPARS WITH HARRIS, MODERATORS DURING HEATED PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE

“Our vice president encouraged defunding the police in the summer of 2020 and supporting a bail fund to let violent repeat offenders out of jail: Many of them went on to commit horrible crimes.”

Kiefer insisted that many of the victims of violent crimes could have been spared, citing concerns of “the backlog of sexual assault kits” and “our porous border.” 

Rep. Jerry Nadler on the House floor, Jan. 6, 2023. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

“It’s a gut punch,” Kiefer said. “It’s unfair. It’s heartbreaking, and Americans need to stop putting up with it. No one’s taking accountability for failing to keep the American people safe.”

Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., the committee’s ranking member, argued that “it is important to hear from crime victims and other impacted people,” but alleged that the hearing on Wednesday had “no intent whatsoever to disguise the purpose of this hearing… to attack the surging popularity of Vice President Harris and Gov. Walz.” 

RACE TO REPLACE GOP GOVERNOR IN SWING STATE ON TAP AS PRIMARY SEASON COMES TO A CLOSE ON TUESDAY

Nadler tried to distance Kiefer’s suffering from a wider indictment of similar policies and programs.

“Of course, no crime prevention or reform strategy is perfect, and there will always be individuals who slip through the cracks and continue to break the law,” Nadler said. “That is what happened with the individual who snatched Ms. Kiefer’s purse in 2008, when he was in the ‘Back on Track’ program in San Francisco.” 

Rep. Andy Biggs talks to reporters on Capitol Hill on July 31, 2023.

“When then-District Attorney Harris discovered that the program had mistakenly admitted undocumented immigrants who were not eligible for jobs in the United States, she quickly closed that loophole,” Nadler said. 

Nadler also came under fire after he appeared to close his eyes and lower his head during congressional testimony on the impacts of migrant crime on victims’ families Tuesday – prompting criticism that leading Democrats are not taking the issue seriously and have disrespected those in mourning.

Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., however, said that “if Democrats are successful in their policy goals, the left-leaning criminal justice policies of Manhattan, Chicago, Washington D.C., Philadelphia, California, Minnesota will become common throughout the country and will actually have impact on federal imposition of criminal codes.”

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“I hope these hearings serve as a wake-up call to Americans to demand that the leadership abandon these policies that have made their communities less safe, and I hope it also reminds Congress of our requirement regarding federal law. Violent crime in Minnesota remains significantly elevated due to the lingering effects of the summer 2020 riots, in addition to the prosecution’s refusal to hold criminals accountable,” Biggs said. 

Fox News Digital’s Michael Lee contributed to this report. 

Vice President Kamala Harris was seen shaking her head and denying that she supported the defund the police movement during the 2020 George Floyd riots, despite her promoting a bail fund that helped free protesters demanding police be defunded and lauding the movement in a radio interview. 

“Defund the police. She’s been against that forever. She gave all that stuff up, very wrongly, very horribly. And everybody’s laughing at it, OK? They’re all laughing at it. She gave up at least 12 and probably 14 or 15 different policies. Like, she was big on defund the police,” Trump said from the debate stage in Philadelphia Tuesday evening. 

Harris’ mic was muted, but was seen shaking her head no and saying, “That’s not true.”

“In Minnesota, she went out – wait a minute. I’m talking now. If you don’t mind. Please. Does that sound familiar?” Trump shot back at Harris as she attempted to speak while her mic was muted. 

KAMALA HARRIS-BACKED ‘FREEDOM FUND’ THAT PUT MURDERERS, RAPISTS BACK ON STREETS STILL UP AND RUNNING

Former President Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris spar in debate held in Philadelphia on Sept. 10, 2024. (Screenshot: Fox News simulcast of ABC News Presidential Debate)

“Don’t lie,” Harris was seen saying, though the audio was more muted than Trump. 

“She went out in Minnesota and wanted to let criminals that killed people, that burned down Minneapolis, she went out and raised money to get them out of jail. She did things that nobody would ever think of. Now she wants to do transgender operations on illegal aliens that are in prison. This is a radical left liberal that would do this,” Trump continued. 

Tuesday evening’s event marked the first time Trump and Harris shared a debate stage, following Trump squaring off against President Biden in a debate in June. Biden dropped out of the race not long after amid heightened concerns over his mental acuity and age. 

Harris infamously declared her support of the activists calling to defund the police when she posted a message to X, then Twitter, promoting a bail fund for the protesters arrested during the riots. 

MINNESOTA MURDER STATS ROSE UNDER WALZ’S LEADERSHIP AS HE TRIES TO TIE VIOLENT CRIME TREND TO TRUMP: DATA

“If you’re able to, chip in now to the @MNFreedomFund to help post bail for those protesting on the ground in Minnesota,” Harris posted on June 1, 2020. The tweet is still live as of Wednesday. 

BAIL FUND BACKED BY KAMALA HARRIS FREED SAME RIOTER TWICE – NOW HE’S BEEN CHARGED AGAIN

The bail fund was intended to help bail Black Lives Matter rioters out of jail, but only a fraction of the more than $41 million actually went to freeing rioters, reports later found. 

Minnesota-based Fox 9 reported that the fund spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to free an alleged knife murderer and a convicted rapist who was facing charges of sexual assault and kidnapping, among others. 

The fund also bailed out a man in a road rage incident after he fatally shot another driver.

According to the Minnesota Freedom Fund website, their mission is to “pay cash bail and immigration bonds for those who can’t afford it, because wealth should never decide who is kept in detention and who goes free.”

MINNESOTA MAN FREED BY KAMALA HARRIS-SUPPORTED BAIL FUND NOW CHARGED WITH MURDER

Former President Trump, debates Vice President Kamala Harris at the National Constitution Center on Sept. 10, 2024, in Philadelphia. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Riots and protests swept the nation in 2020 following the death of George Floyd on Memorial Day of that year during an interaction with Minneapolis police. Floyd’s killing reignited nationwide calls from protesters, activists and Democratic politicians to defund police departments in favor of community services such as housing and educational programs. The protests and riots came during an election year, and when the coronavirus pandemic and its government shutdowns and social distancing orders upended day-to-day life. 

Harris ran for president during the 2020 election cycle, but dropped out before becoming Biden’s running mate. 

Harris doubled down on her support of defund protesters following the tweet in a radio interview on June 9, 2020, arguing the defund movement was “rightly” working to reallocate police funding. 

“For too long, the status quo thinking has been, you get more safety by putting more cops on the street. Well, that’s wrong. Because by the way, if you want to look at upper middle-class suburban neighborhoods, they don’t have that patrol car. They don’t have those police walking those streets. But what they do have? They have well-funded schools. What they do have is homeownership, high homeownership rates. What they do have are thriving small businesses. What they do have is access to public health and mental health services,” Harris said on June 9, 2020, on radio show “Ebro in the Morning!”

Protesters throw objects into a fire outside a Target store near the Third Police Precinct on May 28, 2020, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, during a demonstration over the death of George Floyd. (Kerem Yucel/AFP via Getty Images)

“So, this whole movement is about rightly saying we need to take a look at these budgets and figure out whether it reflects the right priorities. When, today in America, two-thirds of our public school teachers are coming out of their own back pocket to help pay for school supplies when we have, for generations now, been defunding public schools but yet militarizing police departments, we need to have this conversation. And critically examine and understand that this is not working. It’s not working,” she continued. 

A large fire burns during a third night of unrest following the death of George Floyd while in Minneapolis police custody in May 2020. (David Joles/Star Tribune via Getty Images)

The protests and riots of 2020 were expected to cost insurance companies between $1 billion to $2 billion in paid insurance claims, making it the most costly violent protest in U.S. history, Axios previously reported. 

The protests and riots were followed by a violent national crime spike that saw murders increase by nearly 30% compared to the year prior, according to FBI data. It marked the largest single-year increase in killings since the agency began tracking the crimes.

KAMALA HARRIS SUPPORTED ‘DEFUND THE POLICE’ IN 2020 RADIO INTERVIEW, BEFORE BIDEN CAMPAIGN SAID OTHERWISE

Demonstrators protest the death of a Black man in police custody in Rochester, New York, Sept. 6, 2020. (Reuters/Brendan McDermid)

The increase in violence, combined with the national calls to defund the police, opened the floodgates, as police officers in jurisdictions across the nation quit, retired or transferred to departments located in states more favorable toward cops. 

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Fox News Digital reached out to the Harris campaign for comment on her denying support for defund the police during the debate despite her comments and social media post in 2020, but did not immediately receive a reply. 

Fox News Digital’s Stepheny Price contributed to this article. 

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

FIRST ON FOX: A House Oversight subcommittee chair is demanding the Biden administration hand over any documents detailing efforts to suppress information after Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg accused the White House of engaging in censorship last month.

Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., who chairs the House Oversight Committee’s subcommittee on cybersecurity, urged the White House to “cease and desist” any such activity with social media platforms in a letter sent to President Biden and Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday.

“In the interest of good government, and to ensure the integrity of the upcoming national election, I am writing to request information on any information suppression campaigns in which the Administration is currently engaged,” Mace wrote. 

TRUMP, REJECTING ADVICE, TRIES MOCKERY, INSULTS, AI AGAINST KAMALA, BUT IS IT WORKING?

Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, left, and President Biden. (Getty Images)

“I urge you to cease and desist any such activity, and ensure that all employees of the Executive Branch refrain from exerting political pressure on social media companies to censor content in accord with White House preferences.”

Facebook founder Zuckerberg wrote to House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, in late August, alleging that Biden officials “repeatedly pressured our team for months to censor certain COVID-19 content, including humor and satire, and expressed a lot of frustration with our teams when we didn’t agree.”

It comes after the Supreme Court sided with the Biden administration in a 6-3 decision against the GOP attorneys general of Missouri and Louisiana, who had accused the White House of colluding with social media companies to suppress free speech.

TRUMP-HARRIS RACE NECK AND NECK NATIONALLY IN NEW SURVEY, POLLSTER SEES ‘WARNING SIGN’ FOR DEMS

Rep. Nancy Mace is leading the inquiry as subcommittee chair of the House Oversight Committee’s cybersecurity panel. (REUTERS/Mike Segar)

Justice Amy Coney Barrett, writing for the majority, said there was no “concrete link” between the plaintiffs’ accusations and the conduct of government officials, according to SCOTUS Blog.

However, Republicans, who had long accused Biden allies of trying to censor social media content with which they disagreed, saw Zuckerberg’s letter as vindication of those concerns.

Mace pointed out in her letter that the revelations broke just over two months before Election Day.

“Mr. Zuckerberg’s latest disclosure arrives at a time when the Presidential election contest is getting into full swing—and amid rising concerns of the political influence of social media companies,” she wrote.

FBI ARRESTS MAN IN LAS VEGAS FOR ALLEGEDLY EXTORTING INSTAGRAM USERS AFTER HE GLOATED ON PODCAST

“Troubling revelations of how Facebook and Google sites responded to users seeking information on the July 13, 2024, assassination attempt of President Trump in Butler County, Pennsylvania prompted committee Chairman James Comer to write these companies on August 14, 2024 to better understand how and why both companies chose to limit visibility of information about the attempt on the President’s life.”

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She asked that the White House turn over any records of communication with social media companies to her subcommittee, as well as communications between federal employees about such censorship, by Sept. 25.

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment.

A focus group reacting live to the presidential debate appeared to have strong opinions about the controversial conservative plan, Project 2025.

Project 2025 was launched by the Heritage Foundation as part of their Presidential Transition Project for the 2024 cycle. The project has become a talking point for Democrats, who have attempted to smear it as radical and tie it to former President Donald Trump.

During the presidential debate on Tuesday, Democrats and independent support for Vice President Kamala Harris shot up as she railed against Project 2025. 

“On this debate tonight, you’re gonna hear from the same old tied playbook. A bunch of lies, grievances, and name-calling. What you’re gonna hear tonight is a detailed and dangerous plan called Project 2025 that the former president intends on implementing if he were elected again,” Harris said. “I believe very strongly that the American people want a president who understands the importance of bringing us together.”

TRUMP REACTS TO ABC NEWS PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE PERFORMANCE, SAYS WHETHER HE’D OPEN TO A SECOND WITH HARRIS

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump debates Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris for the first time during the presidential election campaign at The National Constitution Center on Sept. 10, 2024, in Philadelphia. (Win McNamee)

Trump, however, denied any involvement with the group.

“As you know, and as she knows better than anyone, I have nothing to do with Project 2025. That’s out there. I haven’t read it. I don’t want to read it purposely. I’m not going to read it,” Trump said during Tuesday’s debate. 

TOP 5 MOMENTS DURING TRUMP-HARRIS PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE: ‘I’M TALKING NOW’

As he spoke about the controversial group, he gained support among Republicans but saw a dramatic shift downward from both independents and Democrats. 

Vice President Kamala Harris during the second presidential debate at The National Constitution Center in Philadelphia on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024. (Doug Mills/The New York Times/Bloomberg)

“This was a group of people that got together. They came up with some ideas, I guess some good, some bad. But it makes no difference,” he added. “Everybody knows I’m an open book. Everybody knows what I’m going to do.”

All three voting blocs, however, shot up in support for Trump when he said he was going to “cut taxes very substantially and create a great economy like I did before.”

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris greet each other as they debate for the first time during the presidential election campaign at The National Constitution Center on Sept. 10, 2024 in Philadelphia. (Win McNamee)

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Independents showed dissatisfaction with Trump while he talked about the coronavirus pandemic, but both Democrats and Republicans were consistently more supportive of the former president as he discussed the pandemic and the economy.

Voters across party lines in Fox News’ focus group reacted to a moment in Tuesday night’s presidential debate when former President Trump declared that Haitian migrants are “eating the dogs” in an Ohio town – despite pushback from local officials on the claim.

“In Springfield, they’re eating the dogs, the people that came in, they’re eating the cats,” Trump said. “They’re eating the pets of the people that live there. And this is what’s happening in our country, and it’s a shame.”

When Trump made the claim, approval from all groups – Republicans, independents and Democrats – dipped, with the strongest dips coming from independents and Republicans, while Democratic approval remained low.

FOCUS GROUP REACTS TO TRUMP SAYING HE WANTED TO SEND A ‘MAGA HAT’ FOR COPYING HIS POLICIES

Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Trump during the second presidential debate at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024. (Getty Images)

The claim was based on a number of online reports that had gone viral in recent days. Springfield has seen a significant increase in the number of Haitian migrants arriving in the town, sparking complaints from a number of local residents.

Among those claims are a number of unsubstantiated reports that migrants have eaten ducks or pets. One claim appears to be based on an incident in Canton, Ohio, where a woman had allegedly eaten a cat – but there was no indication she was Haitian.

In response to a query from Fox News Digital, local officials pushed back against the claims surfacing online.

“In response to recent rumors alleging criminal activity by the immigrant population in our city, we wish to clarify that there have been no credible reports or specific claims of pets being harmed, injured or abused by individuals within the immigrant community,” the city said.

TRUMP FACT CHECKS HARRIS ON CHARLOTTESVILLE RIOT ACCUSATION: ‘DEBUNKED’

But a number of Republicans have continued to push the claims, including pointing to a report of a police call that claimed migrants had stolen geese.

At the debate, Trump’s approval rose again from Republicans and independents after the exchange as he started to talk more broadly about the border crisis, accusing Harris of “destroying this country” and warning that the U.S. “doesn’t have a chance of success” if she is elected.

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But it dropped again among Democrats and independents, and rose slightly among Republicans, when Trump was challenged on his claim by the moderators and stood by it.

“The people on television are saying, ‘My dog was taken and used for food,’” he said.

Vice President Kamala Harris successfully baited former President Trump on several occasions at Tuesday’s ABC Presidential debate, making him see red and knocking him off course, according to body language expert Susan Constantine.

Tuesday’s debate in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was the first time Trump and Harris shared the debate stage, with commentators opining that it was a good night for Harris while Trump has had better performances. 

That was, in part, due to how Harris sparked reactions from Trump, who became more frustrated and angry as the night wore on.

IN THE TRUMP-HARRIS FACEOFF THERE WAS A CLEAR WINNER BUT DON’T BELIEVE THIS ELECTION IS OVER

Vice President Kamala Harris, pictured at Tuesday’s ABC Presidential debate, successfully baited former President Trump by knocking him off course, according to body language expert Susan Constantine. (Doug Mills/The New York Times/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Constantine tells Fox News Digital that Harris knew Trump’s weak points, such as questioning crowd sizes at his rallies, and when she brought them up, he defiantly responded — to his detriment. 

“He fell for every one of her games; they were all tactics,” Constantine says. “So when she would poke the bear, he would growl back and she would keep poking the bear and especially when it came to, of course, the crowds.”

Harris said that people at Trump’s rallies often leave early out of exhaustion and boredom. Trump responded by saying that his rallies have record-breaking crowds, whereas Harris buses people to her rallies and pays them to be there.

“She knew every single one of his weak points, and he would defend it instead of answering the question and just staying on task. He was spending most of his time hitting her back with the ball and also defending himself, which was not a good approach,” Constantine says.

“You could see that Trump was getting really, really upset about it. At one point, he dropped his shoulders, dropped his head, and he sunk. And then you see the upper lip [move upward] very quickly. It was a micro-expression of leakage, of hatred and disgust and scorn … he was really angry at her for saying that.”

HARRIS TELLS TRUMP HE’S ‘NOT RUNNING AGAINST JOE BIDEN’ DURING DEBATE

Former President Trump speaking at Tuesday’s ABC Presidential debate. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Constantine says Trump was angry for a reason, noting that Harris made a lot of derogatory remarks, and thus he was unable to regain control of the debate after being goaded by Harris, whose smiles were reflective of her knowing she had cornered the former president. 

“You would see his anger, his voice inflection, his breast eyebrows pursed or his tightened lips. He was angry. In fact, you could hear a lot in his voice,” she explains. “His lips were pressed most of the time. He was suppressing a lot of his own feelings towards her, which was anger. All that did was fuel for Harris because she knew she got him. That’s why you kept seeing the smiles. And every time she got him … she rewarded herself with a great big perma-smile.”

Constantine says that Harris’ smiles were often not genuine and were abnormally long. Harris also did this to prod Trump and smiled as a fallback plan when she didn’t agree with things Trump said, according to Constantine.

BODY LANGUAGE EXPERT’S BRUTAL TAKE ON BIDEN’S DEBATE AGAINST TRUMP: ‘LIKE A DEAD MAN WALKING’

“Real smiles don’t last beyond the very longest four seconds. When a person holds that smile and does it throughout, that’s condescending, and what she’s doing is she is also dismissing what Trump is saying and [that] is covered with the perma-smile. That is inauthentic,” Constantine explains. “If she wants to diminish what Trump is saying, she smiles all the way through or even laughs at that in itself.”

Constantine says that there was a clear distinction between the two candidates: Trump with a more serious tone, Harris appearing happier.  

In the beginning, Harris would kick her head back often and almost leave her head tilting up, which Constantine describes as a “superiority stance.” She raised her nose up and crossed her arms evaluating. 

“It was condescending and also smug. Not a good move,” Constantine says.

Constantine says Harris was very illustrative with her hand movements and looked straight into the camera, knowing exactly how to frame her gestures.

“She spoke to the American people. She played the card musically perfect in a lot of ways. So I think that she had gotten a lot of coaching.”

Constantine says Harris went out of sync when she was tripped up about a question about whether she supports any restrictions on a woman’s right to an abortion.

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Former President Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris shake hands ahead of Tuesday’s ABC Presidential debate. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

“She evaded that question because she couldn’t really answer,” she explains. “So that’s when her eyes go down she starts to do the ‘bobblehead.’ And that was a cluster of deception.”

Additionally, Constantine praised Harris for her pre-debate handshake, noting that the vice president moved into Trump’s space to engage with him.

“She paused for a minute. She was almost slightly hesitant, but then she went for it… So I’m going to give her a point for that one,” Constantine says. “Overall … it was certainly a boxing match. They were completely on opposite sides, of course. There was no love there on [the] Trump side, and then I think that Harris used that to her advantage and Donald Trump fell into the trap.”

An overwhelming majority of debate watchers said they thought Vice President Kamala Harris outperformed former President Trump in Tuesday night’s debate, according to a CNN poll.

The survey respondents went into Tuesday night’s debate split, with 50% saying they expected Trump to win and 50% saying they expected a Harris victory. By the end of the night, however, 63% said Harris came out on top, compared to 37% for Trump.

Broken down by candidate, 96% of Harris’ supporters said they thought she won, while 69% of Trump supporters said the former president won.

CNN’s poll was conducted via text message, surveying 605 registered voters who said they watched Tuesday night’s debate. The poll advertises a margin of error of 5.3%.

TRUMP SAYS PROJECT 2025 ‘GOES WAY TOO FAR’ WITH ABORTION RESTRICTIONS

Vice President Kamala Harris, right, and former President Donald Trump shake hands during the second presidential debate at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024. (Getty Images)

Trump allies have defended the former president’s performance at the Pennsylvania debate. Many have also criticized the ABC News debate moderators, David Muir and Linsey Davis.

JD VANCE VOWS TRUMP WOULD NOT IMPOSE FEDERAL ABORTION BAN, VETO IT IF COMES ACROSS DESK

“President Trump delivered a powerful America First message directly to the American people focusing on reining in inflation and strengthening our economy, securing our border, and peace-through-strength foreign policy,” House GOP Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., said in a statement at the tail end of the debate.

“The ABC moderators were not journalists, they were pro-Kamala activists who baselessly attacked President Trump leading to a 3 on 1 debate, while allowing Kamala to lie repeatedly. President Trump won overwhelmingly and will win again on Election Day,” she added.

Former President Donald Trump gives a thumbs up in the spin room following the second presidential debate at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Hannah Beier/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Trump’s running mate, Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, similarly told Fox News host Sean Hannity, “The moderators didn’t do their job, but President Trump did do his job.”

ABC’S LINSEY DAVIS RAISES EYEBROWS WITH ABORTION FACT-CHECK AGAINST TRUMP: ‘COMPLETELY INTERJECTS HERSELF’

Trump himself said the debate was “three against one” as the moderators sided with Harris on a number of issues.

Former President Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris at Tuesday night’s debate in Pennsylvania.

Fox News host Sean Hannity asked Trump about reports Harris’ campaign wants a second debate in October, and whether he would be open to it. Fox News has extended a formal invitation to both the Trump and Harris campaigns for a second debate next month.

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“She wants it because she lost,” Trump responded. “I don’t know. I have to think about it. But if you won the debate, I sort of think maybe I shouldn’t do it. Why should I do another debate? She immediately said we want another debate. That’s… you know what happens when you’re a prizefighter, and you lose? You immediately want a new fight.”

Fox News’ Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report

Former President Donald Trump is not surprised by pop superstar Taylor Swift’s endorsement of Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris.

Trump claimed the singer was always going to endorse the Democratic Party during a call-in to “Fox & Friends” on Wednesday morning.

“It was just a question of time. She couldn’t […] possibly endorse Biden. You look at Biden, you couldn’t possibly endorse him,” Trump said, clarifying that he is “not a Taylor Swift fan.”

TAYLOR SWIFT ENDORSES KAMALA HARRIS FOR PRESIDENT AFTER DEBATE: ‘I’VE MADE MY CHOICE’

Former President and current Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump speaks about the economy, inflation, and manufacturing during a campaign event at Alro Steel in Potterville, Michigan. (Bill Pugliano/Getty Images)

“But she’s a very liberal person. She seems to always endorse a Democrat. And she’ll probably pay a price for it […] in the marketplace.”

Swift endorsed Kamala Harris for president just minutes after the Democratic nominee’s presidential debate against her Republican opponent, Donald Trump. 

Writing on Instagram, the pop star said she will be voting for Harris because, “she fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them.”

TAYLOR SWIFT, BRITTANY MAHOMES HUG IT OUT AT US OPEN, HIT THE TOWN FOR DOUBLE DATE AMID TRUMP CONTROVERSY

Taylor Swift at the Kansas City Chiefs v. Baltimore Ravens game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. (David Eulitt/Getty Images)

Trump quipped during his “Fox & Friends” call-in that he “actually like[s] Mrs. Mahomes much better,” referring to Brittany Mahomes, the wife of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

“She’s a big Trump fan,” Trump said.

Mahomes first indicated her support for Trump on Aug. 13, when she liked Trump’s Instagram post that outlined the “2024 GOP platform.” The swimsuit model then appeared to respond to criticism on her Instagram Stories.

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Taylor swift, left, hugs Brittany Mahomes as Travis Kelce looks on during the U.S. Open tennis championships in New York.  (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

“I mean honestly, To be a hater as an adult, you have to have some deep-rooted issues you refuse to heal from childhood,” she wrote on Instagram Stories after receiving criticism for her support. “There’s no reason your brain is fully developed and you hate to see others doing well.”

Swift was with Travis Kelce and the Mahomes family at Flushing Meadows to watch the U.S. Open. Swift and Brittany Mahomes were snapped embracing each other lovingly.

Fox News Digital’s Ryan Gaydos and Bradford Betz contributed to this report.

Voters in Fox News’ focus group reactions varied across Republican, Democratic and Independent lines when former President Donald Trump talked about the Russia-Ukraine war on Tuesday night. 

“I want the war to stop. I want to save lives that are being uselessly killed by the millions. It’s the millions. It’s so much worse than the numbers that you’re getting, which are fake numbers. Look, we’re in for $250 billion or more because they don’t ask Europe, which is a much bigger beneficiary to getting this thing done than we are,” Trump said.

Independent and Republican voters’ reactions in Fox’s dial group shot up during Trump’s response regarding Europe’s role in the war, while Democrat approval dipped.

ABC DEBATE MODERATORS SPARK FURY FOR AGGRESSIVE FACT-CHECKING OF TRUMP, EASY TREATMENT OF HARRIS

Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump face off for their first presidential debate at The National Constitution Center in Philadelphia on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024. (Getty Images)

“They respect me. They don’t respect Biden,” Trump said moments later. “How would you respect him? Why? For what reason? He hasn’t even made a phone call in two years to Putin, hasn’t spoken to anybody. They don’t even try and get it.”

ABC DEBATE MODERATOR ACCUSED OF ONLY FACT-CHECKING ONE CANDIDATE

“That is a war that’s dying to be settled. I will get it settled before I even become president … That war would have never happened. And in fact, when I saw Putin after I left, unfortunately left because our country has gone to hell. But after I left, when I saw him building up soldiers, he did it.”

Approval of former President Donald Trump spiked when he warned that the conflict in Ukraine could escalate into World War III. (Hannah Beier/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

During Trump’s remarks, Republican and Democratic support increased as he talked about settling the war, while support among Independents decreased.

Independent and Republican approval again spiked when Trump said, “And now you have millions of people dead, and it’s only getting worse. And it could lead to World War III … We’re playing with World War III.”

FOX NEWS MEDIA PROPOSES SECOND DEBATE MODERATED BY MARTHA MACCALLUM, BRET BAIER

Vice President Kamala Harris during the second presidential debate at The National Constitution Center in Philadelphia on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024. Harris opened her presidential debate with former President Donald Trump by touting her economic agenda, saying she was the only candidate on stage with a plan focused on “lifting up the middle class and working people of America.” (Doug Mills/The New York Times/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

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Independent and Republican approval continued to rise as Trump blasted President Biden, saying “we have a president who doesn’t know if he’s alive.”

Vice President Kamala Harris is leading former President Donald Trump by eight percentage points among likely voters in Virginia, a state the Trump campaign has been looking to flip red after losing in 2016 and 2020.

The latest Washington Post-Schar School poll, released Tuesday, before the two candidates debated in Philadelphia, showed Harris leading Trump by 50% to 42% in the Old Dominion State with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.

The poll underscores a significant turnaround to the top of the Democratic ticket in Virginia since Harris dramatically replaced President Biden as her party’s nominee. 

FOX NEWS POLL: HARRIS CLOSES GAP WITH TRUMP IN SUN BELT STATES

A new poll ahead of Tuesday’s ABC News Presidential Debate shows Vice President Kamala Harris leading former President Donald Trump by eight percentage points among likely voters in Virginia. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images.)

A Fox News poll in June had Biden and Trump in a dead heat. Biden swept Virginia in 2020 by more than 10 points. Hillary Clinton beat Trump by more than five points there in 2016 – although Trump went on to win the presidency.

No Republican presidential candidate has won Virginia since former President George W. Bush’s re-election in 2004.

The GOP has been making progress in the state, with the 2021 election of Gov. Glenn Youngkin as the first Republican to be elected to the governorship since 2009 and further success in the 2022 midterms and the state’s 2023 off-year elections.

Mark Rozell, dean of the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University, said the poll also shows that Trump does not have a significant lead on any issue measured in this survey.

“Most notable not only is the size of Harris’s lead, but that Trump does not have any issue advantage, unlike national polls in which he enjoys some advantage on the economy, immigration and fighting crime,” Rozell told The Washington Post.

“Trump’s path to the presidency therefore does not run through Virginia.”

FOX NEWS POLL: NEW MATCHUP, SAME RESULT — TRUMP BESTS HARRIS BY ONE POINT

The poll is a welcome boost for Vice President Kamala Harris ahead of Tuesday’s ABC News Presidential Debate, the first presidential debate between the two nominees. ABC News signage pictured being installed in the media file center inside the Pennsylvania Convention Center. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Fox News Digital reached out to the Trump campaign for a comment but did not receive a response. 

The poll, which was conducted from Sept. 4 through Sept. 8, found 55% of female Virginia voters said they would vote for Harris, compared to 37% for Trump. 

Harris performed well among Black Virginia voters, garnering 73 percent of their support. 

Additionally, likely White voters prefer Trump at 50% to 43% for Harris. White likely voters with a college degree swing heavily to Harris at 57% compared to 36% for Trump, while White voters without college degrees support Trump by 64% to 29%.

Harris polled best in the close-in Washington, D.C., suburbs, 60%, Northern Virginia exurbs, 56%, and in the Richmond area, 55%. Trump’s support is strongest in the more rural central and western parts of Virginia, 60%, while the Tidewater region, in Eastern Virginia, tips toward Harris at 49% compared to 42% for Trump. 

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The Washington Post-Schar School poll shows Vice President Kamala Harris leading former President Donald Trump by 50% to 42% in Virginia. (Getty Images)

In terms of favorability, 53% of Virginians have an unfavorable impression of the former president while 39% are favorable. Harris is net popular with 49% favorable and 42% unfavorable.

The poll was conducted among a random sample of 1,005 registered voters in Virginia with 65% reached by live callers on cellphones, 14% on landlines and 21% via cellphone text to-web. 

The pool of respondents was made up of 31% who say they think of themselves as Democrats compared to 28% of Republicans. Independents accounted for 30% of participants.  

Former President Donald Trump’s top allies are rushing to declare victory after his debate against Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday night.

GOP lawmakers are touting a Trump win even as they criticize ABC News moderators David Muir and Linsey Davis for their handling of the debate, accusing them of acting with bias against the ex-president.

“President Trump delivered a powerful America First message directly to the American people focusing on reining in inflation and strengthening our economy, securing our border, and peace through strength foreign policy,” House GOP Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., said in a statement at the tail end of the debate.

JD VANCE VOWS TRUMP WOULD NOT IMPOSE FEDERAL ABORTION BAN, VETO IT IF COMES ACROSS DESK

House GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik and Sen. JD Vance, right, are two of the Republicans coming out declaring victory for former President Donald Trump. (Getty Images)

“The ABC moderators were not journalists, they were pro-Kamala activists who baselessly attacked President Trump leading to a 3 on 1 debate, while allowing Kamala to lie repeatedly. President Trump won overwhelmingly and will win again on Election Day.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said Trump “exposed” Harris as a “radical” despite her seeking to reflect more moderate positions on firearm ownership and the border at times.

“While Harris lied about her radical positions and spoke about things she would supposedly do as president, and despite the biased moderators shamelessly covering for Harris, there are two problems that Americans were reminded of in prime-time: she has a lifelong record as a Marxist, and she’s the sitting Vice President who could secure the border and bring down costs today,” Johnson said.

TRUMP SAYS PROJECT 2025 ‘GOES WAY TOO FAR’ WITH ABORTION RESTRICTIONS

(Screenshot: Fox News simulcast of ABC News Presidential Debate)

Trump’s running mate, Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, similarly told Fox News host Sean Hannity, “The moderators didn’t do their job, but President Trump did do his job.”

Senate GOP Conference Chair John Barrasso, R-Wyo., wrote on X, “President Trump tonight shared his strong vision to reverse the high prices and open borders of the Biden-Harris administration. He articulated a plan to unleash American energy and to get our country back on track.”

Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, Trump’s former White House physician, said the ex-president “just DESTROYED Kamala Harris on national television and EXPOSED her administration for the harm it caused!!”

HARRIS REPEATS DEBUNKED CLAIM TRUMP WANTS TO ‘BAN’ ABORTION DURING FIRST CAMPAIGN RALLY SINCE BIDEN QUIT RACE

One Republican said Vice President Kamala Harris was “doing a good job of provoking” former President Donald Trump. (Steven Hirsch-Pool/Getty Images)

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Meanwhile, Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., said on X at the end of the debate, “Joe Biden set the bar low enough to bunny hop over it and she still somehow managed to limbo underneath.”

However, not all Republicans agreed it was a clear victory for Trump. One GOP lawmaker, granted anonymity to speak freely, told Fox News Digital that Harris appeared to be getting under Trump’s skin.

“She talks to us like toddlers but is doing a good job of provoking him,” the GOP lawmaker said during the debate. “He’s right on policy but can’t keep to a message.”

Former President Trump and Vice President Harris faced off for the first time in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for a debate moderated by ABC News on Tuesday. 

The event was technically the second presidential debate of the election but was the first since President Biden ended his campaign and Democrats nominated Harris for president instead. 

A variety of issues were broached during the debate and plenty of shots were taken at one another, but there were several moments that stood out more than others. Here are the top 5 moments from the match-up. 

ABC DEBATE MODERATOR ACCUSED OF ONLY FACT-CHECKING ONE CANDIDATE

1. Trump says he wanted to send Harris a MAGA hat

Trump said he “was going to send her a MAGA hat,” in reference to Harris, because he claimed the vice president has adopted his political philosophy on the campaign trail. “Everything that she believed three years ago and four years ago is out the window—she’s gone to my philosophy now,” he said during the debate. 

Harris has notably reversed several policy stances she previously held while in the Senate and on the campaign trail in 2019 and has moderated ahead of the election against Trump. 

“But, if she ever got elected, she’d change it,” Trump warned. “And it will be the end of our country. She’s a Marxist.”

FOX NEWS MEDIA PROPOSES SECOND DEBATE MODERATED BY MARTHA MACCALLUM, BRET BAIER

2. Trump says he ‘probably took a bullet to the head’ because of Biden-Harris rhetoric

The former president responded to warnings from Harris of him being an authoritarian in a second term by suggesting her and Biden’s remarks could have prompted the assassination attempt against him in July. 

“This is the one that weaponized. Not me. She weaponized,” Trump said in response to Harris’ claims. 

“I probably took a bullet to the head because of the things that they say about me,” he said. Trump was shot in the ear at a July rally in Pennsylvania before the Secret Service killed the shooter and escorted him offstage. 

“They talk about democracy—I’m a threat to democracy. They’re the threat to democracy with the fake Russia Russia Russia investigation that went nowhere,” Trump added. 

TRUMP SLAMS BIDEN-HARRIS ADMIN FOR LETTING ‘MILLIONS OF CRIMINALS’ INTO THE COUNTRY

3. Harris says she is not Joe Biden

The vice president told moderators, “clearly, I am not Joe Biden” after Trump slammed the Biden-Harris administration’s economic policy and said, “she is Biden.” 

“She is trying to get away from Biden,” he said. 

Harris responded, explaining that she is not Biden and adding that she is “certainly not Donald Trump.”

“What I do offer is a new generation of leadership for our country,” she said. 

FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP TAKES PAGE FROM VP HARRIS 2020 DEBATE PERFORMANCE

4. Harris stands by administration’s Afghanistan withdrawal despite criticism

“Do you believe you bear any responsibility in the way that withdrawal played out?” Harris was asked by a moderator.

“Well, I will tell you, I agreed with President Biden’s decision to pull out of Afghanistan.” she said.

“Four presidents said they would and Joe Biden did.” 

During the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan, 13 U.S. service members were killed in a terrorist attack. Trump also pointed out that the withdrawal left U.S. resources and equipment behind in the country in the unorganized departure. 

Harris did not respond to the question posed by ABC’s moderators on whether she feels any responsibility for the nature of the withdrawal. 

VOTER SLAMS HARRIS FOR ‘RACE BAITING’ AND ‘FEAR MONGERING’ DURING DEBATE

5. Trump uses famous Harris line against her

Trump used a quip on Tuesday evening similar to one made famous in 2020 by Harris during the vice presidential debate. 

“Wait a minute, I’m talking now if you don’t mind. Please,” the former president said. 

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Harris could be seen on camera interjecting after Trump said she was a supporter of defunding the police. Her response could not be heard because her microphone was muted. 

Trump’s quote was a callback to Harris’ own remark in 2020 to then-Vice President Mike Pence. “Mr. Vice President, I’m speaking. I’m speaking,” she said at the time when Pence began to interject. 

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

Former President Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris both traveled to New York City following their first presidential debate showdown, to put politics aside and commemorate the 23rd anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. 

Wednesday marks the 23rd anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. Nearly 3,000 people died as the result of a group of terrorists launching coordinated attacks against the U.S. by hijacking and crashing commercial airline planes at the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and Shanksville, Pennsylvania, in what became America’s most deadly terrorist attack.

HOUSE DEMS ISSUE RESPONSE TO GOP REPORT ON BIDEN’S WITHDRAWAL FROM AFGHANISTAN

Names on the 9/11 Memorial in New York City. ( Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Trump and Harris participated in their first presidential debate Tuesday night before they both traveled to New York City. 

First, Trump is expected to visit the World Trade Center site, also known as Ground Zero, to attend the 9/11 memorial commemoration where he is set to deliver brief remarks. 

Next, Trump is expected to visit New York Fire Department Engine 4, Tower Ladder 15. 

He is then set to travel to Shanksville to the Flight 93 Memorial. 

Meanwhile, President Biden and Harris are also expected to visit the 9/11 memorial for the commemoration ceremony. 

Biden and Harris are then expected to travel to Shanksville for a wreath-laying ceremony at the Flight 93 Memorial. 

Later, Biden and Harris will participate in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia. 

The Twin Towers in 1994. (Stephan Schulz/picture alliance via Getty Images)

More than 400 first responders gave their lives on Sept. 11, 2001, including 23 New York City police officers, 37 Port Authority workers and 343 New York City firefighters.

The 40 passengers and crew members of Flight 93, all of whom lost their lives, are believed to have prevented a larger attack by fighting back against the terrorists who hijacked the plane. The field in Shanksville where the plane crashed is just a 20-minute flight from the U.S. Capitol.

The “Tower of Voices,” part of the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, on May 26, 2021. (Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images)

The Biden-Harris administration on Aug. 31, 2021, withdrew all U.S. military assets from Afghanistan, after having a presence for nearly 20 years following the 9/11 attacks. 

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Amid the withdrawal, the Taliban took over Afghanistan and formally announced the formation of its new government. The Taliban’s government before 9/11 was the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan before militants were ousted by U.S.-led forces in the wake of the attacks. 

The 9/11 attacks were orchestrated by al Qaeda while it was being sheltered by the Taliban.

Voters taking part in a Fox News Digital panel reacting to the debate said that Vice President Kamala Harris came away from the event with a victory.

Asked who they thought won the debate, 12 voters on the panel raised their hand for Harris while just five indicated they believed former President Donald Trump won.

Asked why they thought Harris won, many voters expressed that Trump did not know how to attack his new opponent in the race.

TRUMP FACT CHECKS HARRIS ON CHARLOTTESVILLE RIOT ACCUSATION: ‘DEBUNKED’

US Vice President Kamala Harris and former US President Donald Trump during the second presidential debate at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US, on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024. (Getty Images)

“He is still in his head basically trying to run against Joe Biden,” one voter said.

Another voter knocked Trump for not bringing fresh ideas to the stage.

“Trump was so bad, he’s just like an old suit from like 1987 right now. He just repeats himself, says the same stuff, and she’s refreshing in that she’s different,” the voter said. “I think if he had a different line of attack with her, it would have been more effective.”

Republican presidential nominee, former U.S. President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris greet as they debate for the first time during the presidential election campaign at The National Constitution Center on September 10, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

TRUMP SAYS HE ‘PROBABLY TOOK A BULLET TO THE HEAD’ DUE TO DEM RHETORIC

“I think she won the debate from my perspective, because he was so bad and he just sounds so repetitive, but I think she’s weak. She’s weak on the substance and she’s weak on the facts,” the voter added.

But the panel didn’t provide only good news for Harris, with few of those participating saying that the vice president met their expectations.

US Vice President Kamala Harris during the second presidential debate at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US, on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024.Photographer: Doug Mills/The New York Times/Bloomberg via Getty Images

“She wasn’t very specific when asked certain things,” one voter said. “She knows how to pull at your heartstrings. She knows how to be dramatic in a way that will touch the heart of Americans while avoiding the hot button questions.”

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The debate may be the only one between the two candidates before election day in November, coming after President Biden’s disastrous debate performance earlier this year that helped launch a movement to force him out of the election and just 56 days until most voters cast their ballots.

Democratic elected officials and political operatives heaped praise on Vice President Kamala Harris for her debate performance against former President Donald Trump on Tuesday evening. 

“America got to see tonight the leader I’ve been proud to work alongside for three and a half years. Wasn’t even close. VP Harris proved she’s the best choice to lead our nation forward. We’re not going back,” President Biden posted on X early Wednesday morning after the debate wrapped up. 

“Well, that was a knockout. I’m looking forward to seeing how Republicans try to spin this one,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer posted to X in another favorable message for Harris. 

Trump and Harris took the same debate stage for the first time this election cycle on Tuesday evening in Philadelphia’s National Constitution Center. The pair sparred over the top issues concerning voters, including the economy, immigration and abortion. 

TRUMP FACT CHECKS HARRIS ON CHARLOTTESVILLE RIOT ACCUSATION: ‘DEBUNKED’

Screenshot: Fox News simulcast of ABC News Presidential Debate (Screenshot: Fox News simulcast of ABC News Presidential Debate)

Harris’ Democratic allies in Congress, as well as Democratic pundits, praised Harris for how she “destroyed” Trump’s career, and that voters bore witness to a “serious leader who will work day in and out” for the American people. 

TRUMP SAYS HE ‘PROBABLY TOOK A BULLET TO THE HEAD’ DUE TO DEM RHETORIC

The Harris campaign also released a statement Tuesday evening, taking a victory lap that “Harris commanded the stage on every single issue that matters to the American people.”

“Under the bright lights, the American people got to see the choice they will face this fall at the ballot box: between moving forward with Kamala Harris, or going backwards with Trump. That’s what they saw tonight and what they should see at a second debate in October. Vice President Harris is ready for a second debate. Is Donald Trump?” the Harris campaign posted. 

Trump and Harris sparred on top issues concerning voters on Tuesday evening, including on abortion, when Harris claimed Trump’s platform would install a national abortion ban that would allow for no exceptions to such a procedure. 

HARRIS CLAIMS TRUMP ABORTION PLATFORM MAKES ‘NO EXCEPTION,’ MOMENTS AFTER TRUMP SAYS THE OPPOSITE 

“Now, in over 20 states, there are Trump abortion bans, which make it criminal for a doctor or nurse to provide health care in one state. It provides prison for life. Trump abortion bans that make no exception, even for rape and incest, which understand what that means,” Harris said Tuesday evening from Philadelphia’s National Constitution Center.  

US Vice President Kamala Harris, right, and former US President Donald Trump shake hands during the second presidential debate at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US, on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024. Trump and Harris enter Tuesday’s debate in search of the same goal, a moment that will help them gain the edge in a race polls show is essentially tied. Photographer: Doug Mills/The New York Time/Bloomberg via Getty Images (Getty Images)

“A survivor of a crime of violation to their body does not have the right to make a decision about what happens to their body. That is immoral, and one does not have to abandon their faith or deeply held beliefs to agree the government and Donald Trump certainly should not be telling a woman what to do with her body.” 

Moments before, however, Trump said he believes in exceptions for abortion, similar to former President Reagan. 

“I believe in the exceptions for rape, incest and life of the mother,” Trump said during the debate. “I believe strongly in it. Ronald Reagan did also. Eighty-five percent of Republicans knew exceptions are very important.”

Trump and Harris also traded barbs on the issue of crime in the United States, as Harris defended accusations that migrant crime has increased under her watch by citing Trump’s legal issues.

“Yeah, it is much higher because of them,” Trump said during the debate in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania discussing crime committed by illegal immigrants in the U.S., some of which entered the country under Biden’s watch. 

“They allowed criminals, many, many millions of criminals,” Trump continued, “They allowed terrorists. They allowed common street criminals. They allowed people to come in drug dealers to come into our country. And then now in the United States and told by their countries like Venezuela, don’t ever come back or we’re going to kill you. Do you know that crime in Venezuela and crime in countries all over the world is way down?”

TRUMP FLIPS ‘I’M TALKING’ SCRIPT FROM 2020 DEBATE AGAINST KAMALA HARRIS DURING PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE SHOWDOWN

US Vice President Kamala Harris, right, and former US President Donald Trump during the second presidential debate at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US, on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024. Trump and Harris enter Tuesday’s debate in search of the same goal, a moment that will help them gain the edge in a race polls show is essentially tied. Photographer: Doug Mills/The New York Time/Bloomberg via Getty Images (Getty Images)

Harris responded by bringing up Trump’s criminal convictions and pending indictments.

“Well, I think this is so rich coming from someone who has been prosecuted for national security crimes, economic crimes, election interference has been found liable for sexual assault,” Harris said. 

TRUMP, HARRIS TRADE BARBS ON CRIME DURING FIRST PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE: ‘THROUGH THE ROOF’

“And his next big court appearance is in November at his own criminal sentencing. And let’s be clear where each person stands on the issue of what is important about respect for the rule of law and respect for law enforcement.”

Following the debate, the Harris campaign called for a second debate in October. Trump had repeatedly called for additional debates against Harris, after only having one other presidential debate in June against President Biden. 

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“That was fun. let’s do it again,” Harris adviser Brian Fallon said on X moments after the debate wrapped. 

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub. 

Reactions from conservatives and liberals came pouring in on social media following the conclusion of the first presidential debate between VP Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump.

“Tonight’s debate was a clear contrast between Donald Trump, who advanced policies that will address America’s biggest concerns, and Kamala Harris, who had nothing but cliched talking points,” Alfredo Ortiz, Job Creators Network President, said in a statement. 

“Kamala ducked and dodged from her failed liberal record, flip-flopping on countless important issues. Kamala can run from her record but can’t hide from its results. She showed herself as a policy phony who will do whatever it takes to get elected and gain power. She was clearly out of her league. By contrast, Trump showed himself to be a true leader, clearly explaining the policies needed to reinvigorate Main Street and the economy. In short, he was presidential, she was not.”

“My debate score: trump – 3 moderators – 9 harris – N/A,” Fox News host Greg Gutfeld posted on X. 

TRUMP-HARRIS RACE NECK AND NECK NATIONALLY IN NEW SURVEY, POLLSTER SEES ‘WARNING SIGN’ FOR DEMS

Former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris sparred during Tuesday’s presidential debate. (Screenshot: Fox News simulcast of ABC News Presidential Debate)

Many on social media criticized the performance of the ABC moderators.

“ABC should be ASHAMED of themselves,” former Trump press secretary and Fox News host Kayleigh McEnany posted on X. “1. Where was the question for Kamala about casting the tie breaking vote for inflation (American Rescue Plan etc.)? 2. Where was the question for Kamala about wanting taxpayer-funded gender transition surgeries for illegal immigrants? 3. Where was the question about Tim Walz allowing babies born alive after abortion to die in Minnesota and then removing reporting requirements NONE – they only prepped TRUMP FACT CHECKS!”

“My debate analysis won’t make anyone happy,” conservative commentator Matt Walsh posted on X. “I think Kamala was weak and nervous, especially early. She came off as phony and rehearsed the rest of the way. But Trump missed a lot of opportunities to land a blow, rambled too much, and took the bait repeatedly throughout. I don’t think this debate moves the needle much for either candidate.”

“Tonight’s debate wasn’t Harris versus Trump, it was Old Kamala versus New Kamala. Despite an attempt to rewrite history on her support for the most fringe radical policies on everything from the border and immigration, fracking and energy, Bidenomics, and our fundamental government principles, it’s clear she still refuses to be honest with the country about where she stands,” Sentinel Action Fund President Jessica Anderson said in a statement. 

VOTERS REPORT KAMALA HARRIS IS MORE RADICAL THAN TRUMP: ‘TOO LIBERAL OR PROGRESSIVE’

US Vice President Kamala Harris, right, and former US President Donald Trump shake hands during the second presidential debate at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US, on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024. Trump and Harris enter Tuesday’s debate in search of the same goal, a moment that will help them gain the edge in a race polls show is essentially tied.  (Photographer: Doug Mills/The New York Time/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

“Trump did not win the debate but I think he won the election with an assist to ABC because it was so in the tank for Harris that it was repulsive,” conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt posted on X. “Voters did see Harris dodge every question that was even slightly difficult and tried to erase her record and Biden’s. Voters expected accountability on the economy, inflation and border but got an ABC buffet of lefty agenda journalism that will not cover for the failures of the past three and a half years. Democrats think they won the debate and the election. It is 2016 all over again.”

Others on social media expressed the belief that Harris won the debate.

“Biden gave one of the worst debate performances in history,” journalist John Ralston posted on X. “Trump: Hold my beer.”

“Trump’s self-image…his political calling card is strength,” former Obama senior adviser David Axelrod posted on X. “He was on defense that entire first hour. KamalaHarris pushed all his hot buttons, and he unraveled.”

“Look,” journalist Chris Cillizza posted on X. “Kamala Harris won the debate. Pretty easily.”

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US Vice President Kamala Harris, right, and former US President Donald Trump during the second presidential debate at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US, on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024. Trump and Harris enter Tuesday’s debate in search of the same goal, a moment that will help them gain the edge in a race polls show is essentially tied. ( Photographer: Doug Mills/The New York Time/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

In a statement, the Harris campaign wrote that Trump was “incoherent” and “angry” in the debate.

“Tonight, Vice President Harris commanded the stage on every single issue that matters to the American people,” the campaign said. “Americans saw exactly what kind of President Kamala Harris will be: one who offers a New Way Forward for the country, who will be a president for all Americans, and who will turn the page once and for all on the darkness and division of Donald Trump. And she reminded the American people that she is the only candidate in this race ready to serve as our next Commander-in-Chief.”

The Trump campaign declared victory in their debate statement.

“President Trump delivered a masterful debate performance tonight, prosecuting Kamala Harris’ abysmal record of failure that has hurt Americans for the last 4 years,” the campaign said. 

“We saw President Trump lay out his bold vision of America and how he would continue to build upon the successes of his first term by supercharging the economy, securing the border, and stopping crime from ravaging communities across the country. Conversely, Kamala’s vision of America was a dark reminder of the oppressive, big government policies of Joe Biden that she wants to continue. High inflation, a porous border that allows criminals and terrorists to flood across, and being soft on crime— that is what Kamala represents.”

Taylor Swift endorsed Kamala Harris for president just minutes after the Democratic nominee’s presidential debate against her Republican opponent, Donald Trump. 

Writing on Instagram, the pop star said she will be voting for Harris because, “she fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them.”

Taylor Swift at the Kansas City Chiefs v Baltimore Ravens game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on September 05, 2024, in Kansas City, Missouri. (David Eulitt/Getty Images)

“I’ve done my research, and I’ve made my choice. Your research is all yours to do, and the choice is yours to make. I also want to say, especially to first time voters: Remember that in order to vote, you have to be registered!” Swift wrote to her 283 million followers. “I also find it’s much easier to vote early. I’ll link where to register and find early voting dates and info in my story.”

TAYLOR SWIFT-THEMED CORN MAZES GO VIRAL, PLUS POPULAR US OPEN COCKTAIL SALES REVEALED

Swift signed the post: “Taylor Swift, Childless Cat Lady,” a nod to Trump’s running mate J.D. Vance, who said during a 2021 interview: “We are effectively run in this country, via the Democrats, via our corporate oligarchs, by a bunch of childless cat ladies who are miserable at their own lives and the choices that they’ve made, and so they wanna make the rest of the country miserable, too.”

Within minutes, the post had garnered more than 2 million likes. 

Sep 8, 2024; Flushing, NY, USA; Recording artist Taylor Swift and Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Brittany Mahomes look on in the men’s singles final of the 2024 U.S. Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center at Louis Armstrong Stadium.  (Mike Frey-Imagn Images)

Swift’s endorsement came after some of her fans gave Brittany Mahomes flak for supporting Trump. 

Mahomes, a 29-year-old pregnant mother, first indicated her support for Trump on Aug. 13 when she liked Trump’s Instagram post that outlined the “2024 GOP platform.” 

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The like ignited a firestorm of backlash against the wife of the superstar quarterback. In fact, the critics included fans of Swift. Multiple fan pages dedicated to Swift posted the screenshots of the like on social media, spreading the reach of the backlash.

Former President Donald Trump and VP Kamala Harris traded blows on the issue of crime in the United States in the first presidential debate, with Harris defending accusations that migrant crime has increased under her watch by citing Trump’s legal issues.

“Yeah, it is much higher because of them,” Trump said during the debate in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania discussing crime committed by illegal immigrants in the U.S., some of which entered the country under Biden’s watch. 

“They allowed criminals, many, many millions of criminals,” Trump continued, “They allowed terrorists. They allowed common street criminals. They allowed people to come in drug dealers to come into our country. And then now in the United States and told by their countries like Venezuela, don’t ever come back or we’re going to kill you. Do you know that crime in Venezuela and crime in countries all over the world is way down?”

Trump continued, “Crime here is up and through the roof. Despite their fraudulent statements that they made. Crime in this country is through the roof. And we have a new form of crime. It’s called migrant crime. And it’s happening at levels that nobody thought possible.”

TRUMP-HARRIS RACE NECK AND NECK NATIONALLY IN NEW SURVEY, POLLSTER SEES ‘WARNING SIGN’ FOR DEMS

US Vice President Kamala Harris, right, and former US President Donald Trump shake hands during the second presidential debate at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024.  (Getty Images)

ABC’s David Muir then interjected and said that “the FBI says overall violent crime is actually coming down in this country” without noting that those statistics are down from historic highs or that several large cities did not include their data. 

“They were defrauding statements,” Trump responded. “They they didn’t include the worst cities. They didn’t include the cities with the worst crime. It was a fraud. Just like their number of 818,000 jobs that they said they created turned out to be a fraud.”

Harris responded by bringing up Trump’s criminal convictions and pending indictments.

VOTERS REPORT KAMALA HARRIS IS MORE RADICAL THAN TRUMP: ‘TOO LIBERAL OR PROGRESSIVE’

A new poll ahead of Tuesday’s ABC News Presidential Debate shows Vice President Kamala Harris leading former President Trump by eight percentage points among likely voters in Virginia. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images.)

“Well, I think this is so rich coming from someone who has been prosecuted for national security crimes, economic crimes, election interference has been found liable for sexual assault,” Harris said. 

“And his next big court appearance is in November at his own criminal sentencing. And let’s be clear where each person stands on the issue of what is important about respect for the rule of law and respect for law enforcement.”

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US Vice President Kamala Harris, right, and former US President Donald Trump shake hands during the second presidential debate at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024. (Getty Images)

Harris continued: “The former vice president called for defunding federal law enforcement. 45,000 agents get this on the day after he was arraigned on 34 felony counts. So let’s talk about what is important in this race.”

“It is important that we move forward, that we turn the page on this same old tired rhetoric and address the needs of the American people, address what we need to do about the housing shortage, which I have a plan for, address what we must do to support our small businesses, address bringing down the price of groceries.”

Delaware State Sen. Sarah McBride could become the first trans person elected to Congress after she won a primary Tuesday night.

McBride ran virtually unopposed as the only candidate in the primary to have raised any funds, and she had the backing of Delaware Sens. Chris Coons and Tom Carper and Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, who is running in the Senate race to replace Carper. 

McBride already became the first-ever transgender state senator in the U.S. after winning election to the Delaware Senate in 2020. The activist-turned-politician, 33, argues there needs to be more diverse representation in Congress.

Delaware’s House seat has been held by Democrats since 2010. President Joe Biden beat former President Donald Trump by 19 points there in 2020.

McBride amassed nearly $3 million in contributions from supporters across the country. She first garnered national attention at the 2016 Democratic National Convention as the first openly transgender person to address a major party convention.

MCBRIDE ANNOUNCES BID TO BECOME FIRST TRANS MEMBER OF CONGRESS

Delaware State Sen. Sarah McBride could become the first trans person elected to Congress after she won a primary Tuesday night.

Delaware’s House seat has been held by Democrats since 2010. President Joe Biden beat former President Donald Trump by 19 points there in 2020.

McBride amassed nearly $3 million in contributions from supporters across the country. She first garnered national attention at the 2016 Democratic National Convention as the first openly transgender person to address a major party convention.

McBride was the only candidate in the primary to have raised any funds and she had the backing of Delaware Sens. Chris Coons and Tom Carper and Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester

McBride will now face off against one of two candidates in the GOP primary. 

McBride’s candidacy comes amid a fierce national debate over transgender policies, especially as they relate to minors. Republican states over the past few years have passed legislation banning or limiting gender transition services for minors, citing long-term health impacts.

BIDEN OFFICIALS PUSHED TO DROP AGE LIMIT ON TRANS SURGERIES FOR MINORS: REPORT 

Some female athletes have pushed lawmakers to require transgender people to compete on sports teams that align with their biological sex assigned at birth.

McBride argues the legislative push is an example of “far-right” extremism.

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“In 2020, I became the first openly trans person elected to serve as a state Senator anywhere in the country. It really felt like America was blazing a path to the future. But since then, the far-right has tried to use the LGBTQ community as a scapegoat for their policy failures,” McBride wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “As they’ve increased their attacks on families and kids, it has become even clearer: for our democracy to work, it needs to include all of us. If elected, I’ll be the first openly trans member in Congress.”

Fox News’ Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.