Trump, Harris presidential debate in Philadelphia: Moment-by-moment recap

PHILADELPHIA - The first presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump kicked off Tuesday evening in Philadelphia and showcased two separate visions for the country.

Tuesday marked Trump’s second debate for the 2024 presidential election since he and President Joe Biden held one back in June before Biden dropped out of the race and endorsed Harris as a presidential candidate. 

There isn’t a second debate between Harris and Trump scheduled, but one could be.

Our live blog coverage has now concluded. Here's a look at what was covered during the debate (estimated times are in Eastern Daylight Time):

10:45 p.m. Closing statements

Harris and Trump veered in different directions in their closing arguments. The vice president promised that she was focused on the future while Trump focused on the past. She emphasized that she has plans to help the middle class.

Trump criticized Harris for not implementing her plans while she is in office. "Why hasn’t she done it?" he said repeatedly.

Both Trump and Harris said "thank you" after they delivered their closing statements and the debate ended.

Doug Emhoff, the vice president’s husband, joined his wife on stage and waved. Trump exited alone. His wife, Melania, did not join him in Philadelphia.

The tech crew applauded.

RELATED: Kamala Harris' facial reactions and handshake with Donald Trump: Key debate moments in photos

10:42 pm. Harris takes Trump’s ‘bloodbath’ comment out of context

Harris said Trump was warning of a "bloodbath" if he loses the election, but she took his comments out of context.

Trump delivered the line at a speech in March in Ohio in which he was talking about the impact of offshoring on the American auto industry and his plans to increase tariffs on foreign-made cars. It was in reference to the auto industry that he warned of a "bloodbath" if his proposals aren’t enacted.

10:35 p.m. Harris says she is a gun owner

Harris tried to refute Trump’s accusation that she wants to take away owners’ guns, stating that she is a gun owner, too.

"Tim Walz and I are both gun owners. We’re not taking anybody’s guns away. So stop with the continuous lying about this stuff," she said.

FULL STORY: Kamala Harris says she owns a gun during debate response to Donald Trump

10:27p.m. - Trump on Affordable Care Act

The Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare, is a law that was signed into law by President Barack Obama in 2010 to reform the US healthcare system. 

When Trump was asked whether he has a plan, he said, "I have concepts of a plan. I'm not president right now," but said he would move a plan that is better and less expensive that Americans would hear about "in the not so distant future." 

10:24 p.m. - Trump overstates inflation numbers

Trump claimed that under the Biden administration, "they had the highest inflation perhaps in the history of our country, because I’ve never seen a worse period of time."

But inflation peaked at 9.1% in June 2022, but it was much higher in the 1970s and early 1980s. Inflation reached a record high of 14.6% in March and April of 1980.

10:22 p.m. - Trump exaggerates number of dead in Russian invasion of Ukraine

Trump’s claim of millions dead in the Russian invasion of Ukraine is greatly exaggerated, according to The Associated Press.

The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine said that as of early this year, it had verified more than 10,500 civilian deaths since Russia invaded in February 2022.

10:05 p.m. - Trump on Ukraine

"I want the war to stop," Trump said, adding that he has good relationships with the president of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Russian President Vladimir Putin. 

"I want to get the war settled," he continued.

Putin has insisted Ukraine must give up vast amounts of territory and give up on joining NATO. That’s simply as a condition to start talks to end Russia’s 2 1/2 year invasion of Ukraine.

10:00 p.m. - Trump falsely claims evidence shows he won in 2020

Donald Trump repeated his false claim that he beat President Joe Biden in the 2020 election, saying "there’s so much proof. All you have to do is look at it."

The election was not stolen. The authorities who have reviewed the election — including Trump’s own attorney general — have concluded the election was fair.

9:55 p.m. - Harris on Jan. 6th insurrection

During the Jan. 6, 2021 attacks on the U.S. Capitol, Harris used the discussion to ask for the votes of people disgusted by both the mobs and Trump’s role in the insurrection.

Harris looked directly at the camera to say, "There is a place in our campaign for you."

She asked for support from voters who "stand for rule of law" and want to "end the chaos."

9:50 pm. - Harris and Trump's debate styles

So far, a couple things should be clear to viewers about Harris and Trump’s debate style.

She turns slightly to look and listen to the former president when he’s talking. Trump listens, but stares straight ahead at the moderators when it’s the vice president’s turn at the mic.

Harris takes notes when Trump speaks. Trump hasn’t been seen writing anything down.

9:45 p.m. - Trump’s legal peril finally comes up

It took more than a half-hour, but Harris found a way to bring up Trump’s legal troubles — his felony convictions, pending indictments and civil liability for sexual assault.

Harris responded to Trump’s claims about crime rates by reminding the former president that he is a convicted criminal with several other pending criminal cases.

"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."

Trump blamed Harris and President Joe Biden for his legal plight, referring to the cases against him as "weaponization" of the criminal justice system.

9:40 p.m. - Trump tries to link Harris to immigration

Trump described Harris as the "border czar." 

But that was never her formal title, and she was never specifically given the responsibility for security on the border. She was tasked by Biden in March 2021 to tackle the "root causes" of migration from the Northern Triangle — the Central American countries of Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador — and pushing leaders there and in Mexico to enforce immigration laws.

Supporters say she used her stature and connection to the White House to encourage investments in those countries as a way to curb migration in the future. But critics say she could have done more and that there’s no evidence Harris pushed those countries to enforce their immigration laws.

9:35 p.m. - Trump criticizes Biden administration over student loan forgiveness

Trump slammed the Biden and Harris administration for failing to deliver on student loan forgiveness, one of their campaign promises. Some borrowers have gotten relief but parts of the plan have been hampered by lawsuits and Republican opposition.

Earlier this month, the Supreme Court declined to lift an injunction that would have allowed one of the student loan forgiveness plans to be implemented.

9:35 p.m. - Trump repeats support for IVF access

Trump repeated his support for IVF access during Tuesday’s debate, calling himself "a leader on IVF."

This comes about two weeks after he announced plans, without additional details, to require health insurance companies or the federal government to pay for the common fertility treatment.

9:30 p.m. - Trump says he ‘won’t have to’ veto a national abortion ban

When asked if Trump would veto a national abortion ban, Trump said "I won’t have to" because "they could never get this approved" in Congress.

Trump also leaned on his response to questions on abortion rights: saying the issue should be left up to the states.

RELATED: Trump repeats false claims on late-term abortions during presidential debate

In states allowing the citizen initiative and where abortion access has been on the ballot, voters have resoundingly affirmed the right to abortion. 

Trump falsely claimed that some states permit abortions after birth, a claim he has repeated several times. In reality, infanticide is criminalized in every state, and no state has passed a law allowing such a practice. 

The term "late-term abortions" is often misused to stigmatize abortions later in pregnancy, which are exceedingly rare and typically occur due to severe medical complications.

9:20 pm. - Trump falsely claims migrants in Ohio are eating pets during debate

During Tuesday’s presidential debate, Trump repeated false and inflammatory claims about Haitian migrants in Springfield, Ohio, alleging that they are responsible for eating pets in the community. 

RELATED: Trump falsely claims migrants in Ohio are eating pets during debate

During the debate, Trump stated, "In Springfield, they’re eating the dogs. The people that came in, they’re eating the cats." 

This claim has been thoroughly debunked by local officials, who have found no evidence to support such accusations.

9:15 p.m. - Mics are off but interruptions are audible

Trump's microphone was off, but Trump was still audible when he objected to Harris as she accused the former president for only being out for himself.

"Donald Trump actually has no plan for you because he is more interested in defending himself than he is in looking out for you," she said. Trump interjected, claiming many economists believe his plan "is a brilliant plan."

9:10 pm. - Harris focuses on middle class during first question

Harris said during the debate she was "raised as a middle class kid" and would be focused on creating an "opportunity economy." She also sharply criticized Trump for policies that she said would increase costs for Americans.

Trump rejected the description, and he said he would focus on tariffs on imports from foreign countries. And he swiftly shifted focus to immigration, saying people were "pouring into the country."

9:00 p.m. - Debate starts

Harris and Trump shook hands as they took the stage for their debate.

8:30 p.m. - Protests outside venue

Demonstrators were protesting the Israel-Hamas war in Philadelphia where the presidential debate was scheduled on Tuesday evening.

Scores of people lined the streets shouting: "Justice is our demand," carrying banners and flags and holding signs that read: arms embargo now.

7:10 p.m. - Both candidates are in Philadelphia

Trump arrived in Philadelphia ahead of the presidential debate. Meanwhile, Harris arrived on Monday afternoon after spending several days at a downtown Pittsburgh hotel preparing for the debate.

7:00 p.m. - Debate stage smaller than it appears

According to The Associated Press, the debate set is smaller than it appears on television. The candidates’ podiums are positioned about 6-8 feet apart in a small, blue-lit amphitheater with no live audience in the room. That means there will be no rowdy applause, no cheers or jeers.

The candidates will enter at the same time from opposite sides of the stage. It’s not clear whether they will shake each others’ hands.

5:50 p.m. - Harris ready for tonight, Biden says

President Joe Biden said he had a chance to chat with Harris ahead of Tuesday night’s debate. 

"She seemed calm, cool and collected," Biden said in an exchange with reporters.

4:00 p.m. - Trump, Harris advantages going into debate

Polling shows that Trump has an edge over Harris when it comes to Americans thinking he’s being better positioned to handle the issues of the economy and immigration, while Harris has more of an advantage over Trump when it comes to handling issues related to race and racial inequality, abortion policy, and health care, according to an August AP-NORC poll.

3:15 p.m. - Harris tours stage ahead of debate

Harris stopped by Philadelphia’s National Constitution Center on Tuesday afternoon to tour the debate stage ahead of tonight’s event with Donald Trump.

Harris was expected to check out the space before the 9 p.m. ET debate, but the pool of journalists trailing her weren’t permitted to exit the motorcade and document her tour.

2:15 p.m. - Biden plans to watch Trump, Harris debate

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden would be watching Tuesday from New York, where he’s traveling ahead of the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Biden’s  performance in the June 27 debate with Trump touched off a chorus of calls by fellow Democrats for him to step aside in the 2024 presidential race. He did about a month later. 

Where is the debate happening?

The debate is taking place in Philadelphia at the National Constitution Center, which has hosted several other major political events. 

Democrats Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton debated at the museum, former president Trump held a 2020 town hall there, and President Biden used the center as a backdrop for a speech on voting rights.

Pennsylvania continues to be one of the most sought after battleground states, and several pivotal moments in this election have happened in the Keystone State. 

The assassination attempt on Trump happened in Butler, Penn. and the roll-out of the Harris Walz ticket happened at Temple University.

RELATED: 2 top experts predict outcome of presidential election – and arrive at different results

Will mics be muted?

The microphones will not remain live for the duration of the debate.

It was a point of contention between the two campaigns, and one that Harris’ campaign says is to her disadvantage.

President Joe Biden’s campaign had made the muting of microphones, except for the candidate whose turn it is to speak, a condition of his decision to accept any debates this year. Some aides have said they now regret that decision, saying voters were shielded from hearing Trump’s outbursts during the June debate. 

Once Harris rose in Biden's stead and became their party's pick for president, her campaign had advocated for live microphones for the whole debate, saying previously that the practice would "fully allow for substantive exchanges between the candidates."