In a fiery 90-minute US presidential debate in Philadelphia, Vice-President Kamala Harris and her Republican rival Donald Trump faced off for the first time ahead of the 2024 US presidential elections.

The debate, which started with a hand-shake, sparked intense exchanges, starting with policy discussions but quickly dwelling into sharp personal attacks.

Harris took a potshot at Trump’s rallies, claiming that attendees leave his poll events early out of “exhaustion and boredom.”

Trump shot back, claiming people don’t even show up to Harris’s rallies.

The two also exchanged views on key issues like immigration and the economy.

Trump criticised Harris for allegedly shifting her stance on issues such as fracking (technology that allows oil and gas to be extracted from shale rock) and border security.

He questioned why, despite being in the White House as Vice-President, she hadn’t accomplished more.

Harris, in turn, blamed Trump for what she called the “Trump abortion bans” spreading across states and condemned him for the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol following his defeat in the previous elections.

She also cast doubt on Trump’s ability to handle national security, branding him both — “weak and wrong.”

According to early snap polls, Harris appeared to have won the debate, but Trump later claimed she “lost very badly”.

In a dramatic move after the debate, Trump unexpectedly entered the media centre, which experts argue was due to his realisation that he performed poorly in debate. As Trump entered the media centre, he was swarmed by reporters, who questioned why he felt the need to show up there.

“It was the best debate I’ve ever had,” Trump declared confidently.

After Trump’s thrashing of Joe Biden in the previous debates, experts in the US and international media claimed the contest has now tilted a little towards Harris.

Harris wins Taylor Swift’s endorsement after debate

Shortly after the debate wrapped up, US pop superstar Taylor Swift threw her weight behind Kamala Harris in a detailed Instagram post.

In her Instagram post, Swift said, “Like many of you, I watched the debate tonight. If you haven’t already, now is a great time to do your research on the issues at hand and the stances these candidates take on the topics that matter to you the most. As a voter, I make sure to watch and read everything I can about their proposed policies and plans for this country.”

She continued, “Recently I was made aware that an AI of ‘me’ falsely endorsing Donald Trump’s presidential run was posted to his site. It really conjured up my fears around AI, and the dangers of spreading misinformation. It brought me to the conclusion that I need to be very transparent about my actual plans for this election as a voter. The simplest way to combat misinformation is with the truth.”

Swift made her choice for the 2024 election abundantly clear: “I will be casting my vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in the 2024 Presidential Election. I’m voting for @kamalaharris because she fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them. I think she is a steady-handed, gifted leader, and I believe we can accomplish so much more in this country if we are led by calm and not chaos.”

The pop star also praised Harris’s running mate, Tim Walz, for his advocacy on issues such as LGBTQ+ rights, IVF, and reproductive rights.