Answering the question “Are you better off today than you were four years ago,” Donald Trump invoked a viral right-wing conspiracy theory about immigrants eating cat carcasses as Kamala Harris labeled Trump a billionaire-loving tax apologist.
And thus began their high-stakes debate in Philadelphia, where Trump began talking about tariffs when he suddenly veered to undocumented immigrants, saying there are “millions of people pouring into our country from prisons and jails, from mental institutions and insane asylums.”
He name checked Springfield, Ohio, the city that this week became the center of an outlandish right-wing conspiracy theory about illegal immigrants kidnapping and eating pet cats and ducks collected in public parks. His running mate, JD Vance, was among those who spread the claim, even though police have denied any such occurrences.
Calling them the people “she and Biden let into our country,” Trump said, “We have to get them out and we have to get them out fast.”
He later returned to the baseless conspiracy, referencing it much more directly.
“A lot of towns don’t want to talk about [immigration] because they’re so embarrassed by it,” Trump said. “In Springfield, they’re eating the dogs. The people that came in they’re eating the cats. They’re eating the pets of the people.”
ABC News anchor David Muir quickly fact-checked the former president.
“You bring up Springfield, Ohio, and ABC news did reach out to the city manager there,” Muir said. “He told us there have been no credible reports of specific claims of pets being harmed, injured or abused by individuals within the immigrant community.”
Trump doubled down, saying, “We’ll see.”
The conspiracy marked the wildest moment of the first half-hour of the debate, which Muir led off by asking about the economy.
Harris answered by saying she was “raised as a middle class kid,” a theme she has hit over and over again on the campaign trail. She promised a child tax credit of $6,000 for young families and a $50,000 tax deduction to start-ups.
The high-stakes debate is their first, and possibly only, face-off until Election Day—less than two months away. Each candidate is hoping to land a knockout blow during the 90-minute debate to take a decisive lead in the polls.
Both candidates arrived at the historic showdown in Philadelphia in a win-or-lose position, but Harris had the most to gain or lose. The former president is a known entity whose MAGA base seems more energized with each indictment, mug shot, criminal conviction and false claim; Harris, on the other hand, is still introducing herself to voters and trying to convince them she has a solid plan to improve their lives and run the country.
Harris walked onto the debate stage confidently on Tuesday, introducing herself to Trump and putting her hand out to shake hands with her GOP opponent, who she had never met.
As Trump began to speak, she was barely able to hide a smirk while scribbling notes.
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