Clash of visions: Harris vs. Trump on America’s future

T he debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump on Tuesday evening was characterised by a series of sharply worded statements, highlighting the deep ideological divisions between the two candidates. Their exchanges underscored the contrasting policies and personal attacks that have defined the 2024 election campaign.

Trump on the Economy

Donald Trump repeatedly attacked Kamala Harris’s economic proposals, specifically her plan for an “opportunity economy,” which focuses on creating equal opportunities for all Americans to succeed. He accused Harris of offering platitudes without substance, saying, “She doesn’t have a plan. She copied Biden’s plan. And it’s like four sentences, like ‘run-Spot-run.’ Four sentences that are just, oh, we’ll try and lower taxes. She doesn’t have a plan. Take a look at her plan. She doesn’t have a plan.”

Trump also claimed his economic track record was far superior, pointing to the strength of the pre-pandemic economy during his presidency. “I created one of the greatest economies in the history of our country. I’ll do it again and even better.” He argued that inflation, under the Biden-Harris administration, had “destroyed the middle class,” saying, “We’ve had a terrible economy because inflation… breaks up countries. We have inflation like very few people have ever seen before. Probably the worst in our nation’s history.”