how to write a speech in a debate

How to Write a Winning Debate Speech

What is a Debate?

A classroom debate involves students delivering persuasive speeches to present and support their opinions on a given subject. This activity helps develop critical thinking and communication skills, enabling students to gain a more comprehensive grasp of various topics.

Debate speeches are written according to a set of rules so a moderator can assess their effectiveness and allow others to question or challenge their statements within a formal debate.

A classroom debate is not an unruly fight or pointless argument but a structured formal conversation on a chosen topic in which two teams argue for or against it to convince the neutral moderator that they hold the stronger position.

Debating is a form of persuasive communication, and while we will be sticking to the fundamentals of how to write a debating speech, we also have a great guide to persuasive essay writing that elaborates on specific persuasive techniques.

Complete Teaching Unit on Class Debating

This unit will guide your students to write excellent DEBATE SPEECHES and craft well-researched, constructed ARGU MENTS ready for critique from their classmates.

Furthermore, this EDITABLE UNIT will provide the TOOLS and STRATEGIES for running highly engaging CLASSROOM DEBATES.

How To Run A Classroom Debate

Before jumping in headfirst to write your debating speech, ensure you understand how a debate is run to maximise your strategy and impact when it counts.

Debates occur in many different contexts, such as public meetings, election campaigns, legislative assemblies, and as entertainment on television shows. These contexts determine the specific structure the debate will follow.

This guide provides a basic step-by-step debate structure we can comfortably run with students in a classroom. By familiarizing students with this structure, they will effortlessly transition to other debate frameworks.

Running a classroom debate can be an engaging and educational activity that helps students develop critical thinking, communication, and research skills. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to organize and facilitate a successful classroom debate:

1. Choose a Topic For Your Debate.

Also called a resolution or a motion , the topic is sometimes chosen to debate. This is usually the case in a school activity to practice debating skills. 

The resolution or motion is usually centered around a true or false statement or a proposal to change the current situation. Often, the motion starts, ”This House believes that….”

Select a topic relevant to your curriculum and the students’ interests. Ensure that it is debatable and has multiple perspectives. Further down this article, you can find a list of popular classroom debating topics.

2. Form Two Debating Teams

Two teams of three speakers each are formed. These are referred to as ‘ The House for the Motion ’ or the ‘ Affirmative ’ team and ‘The House Against the Motion ’ or the ‘ Negative ’ team.

Preparation is an essential aspect of debating. The speech and debate team members will need time to research their arguments, collaborate, and organize themselves and their respective roles in the upcoming debate.

They’ll also need time to write and rehearse their speeches. The better prepared and coordinated they are as a team, the greater their chances of success in the debate.

3. Assign Roles to Students.

Each team member should have a specific role, such as speaker, researcher , or rebuttal specialist . This encourages teamwork and ensures that each student is actively involved.

4. Research and Preparation:

• Allocate time for teams to research and prepare their arguments. Encourage students to use multiple sources, including books, articles, and reputable websites. Make sure you read our complete guide to powerful student research strategies.

5. Set Debate Format:

• Define the debate format, including the structure of each round. Common formats include opening statements, cross-examination, rebuttals, and closing statements.

6. Establish Rules:

• Set ground rules for the debate, such as time limits for each speaker, etiquette, guidelines for respectful communication, and consequences for rule violations.

7. Conduct a Practice Debate:

• Before the actual debate, conduct a practice round. This helps students become familiar with the format and allows you to provide feedback on their arguments and presentation skills.
• On the day of the debate, set up the classroom to accommodate the format. Ensure that each round has a clear structure, and designate a timekeeper to keep the debate on schedule.

9. Facilitate Q&A Sessions:

• After each team presents their arguments, allow time for questions and cross-examination. This encourages critical thinking and engagement among the students.

10. Evaluate and Debrief:

• After the debate, provide constructive feedback to each team. Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of their arguments, presentation skills, and teamwork. Also, please encourage students to reflect on what they learned from the experience.
• Have a class discussion about the debate, exploring different perspectives and opinions. This can deepen students’ understanding of the topic and enhance their critical thinking skills.

Consider integrating the debate topic into future lessons or assignments. This reinforces the learning experience and allows students to delve deeper into the subject matter.

Remember to create a supportive and respectful environment throughout the debate, emphasizing the importance of listening to opposing views and engaging in constructive dialogue.

Each speaker takes a turn making their speech, alternating between the House for the Motion, who goes first, and the House Against the Motion. Each speaker speaks for a pre-agreed amount of time.

Ensure your debate is held in front of an audience (in this case, the class), and occasionally, the audience is given time to ask questions after all the speeches have been made.

Finally, the debate is judged either by moderators or by an audience vote. 

Download our Debate Organizer

Stay fousssed with this handy template to keep all your ideas organized.

How To Write A Debate

How to start a debate speech.

In highly competitive speech and debate tournaments, students are only provided the topic on the day, and limited time is allowed for preparation, but this is not recommended for beginners.

Regardless of the stakes of your classroom debate, the speechwriting process always begins with research. Thorough research will provide students with both the arguments and the supporting evidence for their position on a topic and generate forward-thinking about what their opponents might use against them.

Writing Your Introduction

The purpose of the introduction in a debate speech is to achieve several things:

• Grab the attention of the audience,
• Introduce the topic
• Provide a thesis statement
• Preview some of the main arguments.

Grab The Attention Of Your Audience With Strong Hooks

Securing the audience’s attention is crucial, and failure to do this will have a strong, negative impact on how the team’s efforts will be scored as a whole. Let’s explore three proven strategies to hook your audience and align their thinking to yours.

Introduce Your Topic With Efficiency and Effectiveness

Once the audience’s attention has been firmly grasped, it’s time to introduce the topic or the motion. This should be done straightforwardly and transparently to ensure the audience understands the topic of the debate and the position you are approaching it from.

For example, if the topic of the debate was school uniforms, the topic may be introduced with:

Provide Your Thesis Statement

A thesis statement is a concise declaration summarizing the points and arguments of your debating speech.

• It presents a clear stance on a topic and guides the reader on what to expect in the content.
• A good thesis statement is debatable and allows for opposing viewpoints and discussion.
• It serves as a roadmap for the writer, ensuring coherence and focus in the piece.
• It helps the audience understand the purpose and direction of the work from the beginning.

The thesis statement should express the student’s or the team’s position on the motion. Clearly explaining the speaker’s side of the debate. An example can be seen here.

Provide A Preview Of Your Arguments

The final part of the introduction section of a debate speech involves previewing the main points of the speech for the audience.

There is no need to go into detail with each argument here; that’s what the body of the speech is for. It is enough to provide a general thesis statement for each argument or ‘claims’ – (more on this to follow).

Previewing the arguments in a speech is especially important as the audience and judges only get one listen to a speech – unlike a text, which can be reread as frequently as the reader likes.

debate introduction examples for students

Attention grabbers task.

After explaining the different types of attention grabbers and the format for the rest of the introduction to your students, challenge them to write an example of each type of opening for a specific debate topic. 

When they’ve finished writing these speech openings, discuss with the students which one best fits their chosen topic. Then, they can continue by completing the rest of the introduction for their speech using the format described above.

You might like to try a simple topic like “Homework should be banned.” you can choose from our collection further in this article.

Writing T he Body of the Speech

The body paragraphs are the real meat of the speech. They contain the in-depth arguments that make up the substance of the debate, and How well these arguments are made will determine how the judges will assess each speaker’s performance, so it’s essential to get the structure of these arguments just right.

Let’s take a look at how to do that.

How to structure an Argument

With the introduction out of the way, it’s time for the student to get down to the nitty-gritty of the debate – that is, making compelling arguments to support their case.

There are three main aspects to an argument in a debate speech. They are:

• The Warrant

Following this structure carefully enables our students to build coherent and robust arguments. Ttake a look at these elements in action in the example below.

Brainstorming Arguments

Present your students with a topic and, as a class, brainstorm some arguments for and against the motion.

Then, ask students to choose one argument and, using the Claim-Warrant-Impact format, take a few moments to write down a well-structured argument that’s up to debate standard.

Students can then present their arguments to the class. 

Or, you could also divide the class along pro/con lines and host a mini-debate!

Concluding a Debate Speech

The conclusion of a speech or a debate is the final chance for the speaker to convey their message to the audience. In a formal debate that has a set time limit, the conclusion is crucial as it demonstrates the speaker’s ability to cover all their material within the given time frame.

Avoid introducing new information and focus on reinforcing the strength of your position for a compelling and memorable conclusion.

A good conclusion should refer back to the introduction and restate the main position of the speaker, followed by a summary of the key arguments presented. Finally, the speaker should end the speech with a powerful image that will leave a lasting impression on the audience and judges.

Examples of strong debate Conclusions

The Burden of the Rejoinder

In formal debates, the burden of the rejoinder means that any time an opponent makes a point for their side, it’s incumbent upon the student/team to address that point directly.

Failing to do so will automatically be seen as accepting the truth of the point made by the opponent.

For example, if the opposing side argues that all grass is pink, despite how ridiculous that statement is, failing to refute that point directly means that, for the debate, all grass is pink.

Our students must understand the burden of the rejoinder and ensure that any points the opposing team makes are fully addressed during the debate.

The Devils Advocate

When preparing to write their speech, students should spend a significant proportion of their team collaborating as a team. 

One good way to practice the burden of the rejoinder concept is to use the concept of Devil’s Advocate, whereby one team member acts as a member of the opposing team, posing arguments from the other side for the speaker to counter, sharpening up their refutation skills in the process.

20 Great Debating Topics for Students

• Should cell phones be allowed in schools?
• Is climate change primarily caused by human activities?
• Should the voting age be lowered to 16?
• Is social media more harmful than beneficial to society?
• Should genetically modified organisms (GMOs) be embraced or rejected?
• Is the death penalty an effective crime deterrent?
• Should schools implement mandatory drug testing for students?
• Is animal testing necessary for scientific and medical advancements?
• Should school uniforms be mandatory?
• Is censorship justified in certain circumstances?
• Should the use of performance-enhancing drugs be allowed in sports?
• Is homeschooling more beneficial than traditional schooling?
• Should the use of plastic bags be banned?
• Is nuclear energy a viable solution to the world’s energy needs?
• Should the government regulate the fast food industry?
• Is social inequality a result of systemic factors or individual choices?
• Should the consumption of meat be reduced for environmental reasons?
• Is online learning more effective than traditional classroom learning?
• Should the use of drones in warfare be banned?
• Is the legalization of marijuana beneficial for society?

These topics cover a range of subjects and offer students the opportunity to engage in thought-provoking debates on relevant and impactful issues.

OTHER GREAT ARTICLES RELATED TO DEBATING

The Ultimate Guide to Opinion Writing for Students and Teachers

Top 5 Persuasive Writing Techniques for Students

5 Top Persuasive Writing Lesson Plans for Students and Teachers

23 Persuasive writing Topics for High School students

How to Write Perfect Persuasive Essays in 5 Simple Steps

Debating strategies for students.

Research and preparation are essential to ensure good performance in a debate. Students should spend as much time as possible drafting and redrafting their speeches to maximize their chances of winning. However, a debate is a dynamic activity, and victory cannot be assured by pre-writing alone.

Students must understand that the key to securing victory lies in also being able to think, write (often in the form of notes), and respond instantly amid the turmoil of the verbal battle. To do this, students must understand the following keys to victory.

When we think of winning a debate, we often think of blinding the enemy with the brilliance of our verbal eloquence. We think of impressing the audience and the judges alike with our outstanding oratory.

What we don’t often picture when we imagine what a debate winner looks like is a quiet figure sitting and listening intently. But being a good listener is one of our students’ most critical debating skills.

If students don’t listen to the other side, whether by researching opposing arguments or during the thrust of the actual debate, they won’t know the arguments the other side is making. Without this knowledge, they cannot effectively refute the opposition’s claims.

Read the Audience

In terms of the writing that happens before the debate takes place, this means knowing your audience. 

Students should learn that how they present their arguments may change according to the demographics of the audience and/or judges to whom they will be making their speech. 

An audience of retired school teachers and an audience of teen students may have very different responses to the same arguments.

This applies during the actual debate itself too. If the student making their speech reads resistance in the faces of the listeners, they should be prepared to adapt their approach accordingly in mid-speech.

Practice, Practice, Practice

The student must practice their speech before the debate. There’s no need to learn it entirely by heart. There isn’t usually an expectation to memorize a speech entirely, and doing so can lead to the speaker losing some of their spontaneity and power in their delivery. At the same time, students shouldn’t spend the whole speech bent over a sheet of paper reading word by word.

Ideally, students should familiarize themselves with the content and be prepared to deliver their speech using flashcards as prompts when necessary.

Another important element for students to focus on when practising their speech is making their body language, facial expressions, and hand gestures coherent with the verbal content of their speech. One excellent way to achieve this is for the student to practice delivering their speech in a mirror.

And Finally…

Debating is a lot of fun to teach and partake in, but it also offers students a valuable opportunity to pick up some powerful life skills.

It helps students develop a knack for distinguishing fact from opinion and an ability to assess whether a source is credible or not. It also helps to encourage them to think about the other side of the argument. 

Debating helps our students understand others, even when disagreeing with them. An important skill in these challenging times, without a doubt.

Debating Teaching Strategies

Clearly Define Debate Roles and Structure when running speech and debate events: Clearly define the roles of speakers, timekeepers, moderators, and audience members. Establish a structured format with specific time limits for speeches, rebuttals, and audience participation. This ensures a well-organized and engaging debate.

• Provide Topic Selection and Preparation Time: Offer students a range of debate topics, allowing them to select a subject they are passionate about. Allocate ample time for research and preparation, encouraging students to gather evidence, develop strong arguments, and anticipate counterarguments.
• Incorporate Scaffolded Debating Skills Practice: Before the actual debate, engage students in scaffolded activities that build their debating skills. This can include small group discussions, mock debates, or persuasive writing exercises. Provide feedback and guidance to help students refine their arguments and delivery.
• Encourage Active Listening and Note-taking during speech and debate competitions: Emphasize the importance of active listening during the debate. Encourage students to take notes on key points, supporting evidence, and persuasive techniques used by speakers. This cultivates critical thinking skills and prepares them for thoughtful responses during rebuttals.
• Facilitate Post-Debate Reflection and Discussion: After the debate, facilitate a reflection session where students can share their thoughts, lessons learned, and insights gained. Encourage them to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of their arguments and engage in constructive dialogue. This promotes metacognitive skills and encourages continuous improvement.

By following these tips, teachers can create a vibrant and educational debate experience for their students. Through structured preparation, active engagement, and reflective discussions, students develop valuable literacy and critical thinking skills that extend beyond the boundaries of the debate itself.

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Debate Writing

Debate Speech

A Comprehensive Guide to Preparing and Delivering A Debate Speech

Published on: Mar 9, 2022

Last updated on: Jul 23, 2024

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Whether you are a student, a policymaker, or a business leader, the ability to debate effectively can be a game-changer. 

Debate speeches are important for anyone wanting to persuade others. However, writing and delivering a debate speech isn’t easy, especially if you are new to the process. 

This guide explains simple steps on how to write and deliver an excellent debate speech. It covers everything from preparing your arguments to delivering your speech with confidence and conviction.

So dive in to learn!   

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What is a Debate Speech?

A debate speech is a structured argument on a specific topic that is presented in a formal setting.  

The main purpose of debate speech is to:  

• Express your point of view persuasively and effectively
• Convince the opposition that you are right.
• Change the people's point of view on a particular topic.

In a debate speech, the speaker presents their argument in a clear, concise, and convincing manner. Debate speeches have a set time limit, and the speaker must use their time effectively to make their case and address counterarguments. 

Preparing for a Debate Speech 

You can only win your debate if you have spent time preparing it well. Follow the steps below to be prepared for your next debate speech.

Understanding the Debate Format 

It's essential to understand the format of the debate in which you want to participate. Different debate formats have specific rules and guidelines that you need to follow to succeed. 

Some popular types of debates include parliamentary, Lincoln-Douglas, and policy debates.

• Parliamentary debate is a format where two teams of two or three members argue for or against a motion. It is presided over by a moderator. In this format, debaters have limited preparation time to gather information and construct their arguments.
• Lincoln-Douglas debate is a one-on-one debate where debaters argue for their positions on a specific topic. This format usually involves a value system and a criterion that the debaters must uphold and defend.
• Policy debate is a format where two teams of two members argue for or against a specific policy proposal. This format requires in-depth research and analysis of the policy and its potential implications.

Selecting a Position

Choose a topic that you are passionate about and that you feel strongly about. Once you have chosen a topic, narrow it down to a specific aspect that you can argue for or against. 

The clearer your position, the easier it will be to research and prepare your arguments.

Need some good debate topic ideas to get started? Check out our list of interesting and engaging debate topics to help you out!

Researching and Gathering Information

Once you have selected your topic, research it thoroughly. Gather as much information as you can from credible sources such as academic journals, news articles, and government reports. 

Take detailed notes, and make sure to record the sources you use so that you can reference them later.

Understanding Both Sides of the Argument 

To write a persuasive debate speech, it is important to understand both sides of the argument. 

Consider the arguments that your opponents might make and anticipate counterarguments. This will help you to strengthen your own arguments and address potential weaknesses in your position.

Organizing Your Arguments 

Once you have gathered all of the information you need, organize your arguments in a clear and logical way. 

Start by outlining the main points you want to make and then add supporting evidence to each point. Make sure that your arguments flow logically and build on each other.

Practicing Your Delivery

Finally, practice your delivery. Read your speech out loud several times to get a feel for how it flows. 

Time yourself to make sure that you can fit all of your arguments into the allotted time. Consider practicing in front of a friend or family member to get feedback on your delivery.

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How to Present a Debate Speech?

This type of speech requires some essential components. Here are the major components you need to present an effective debate speech. 

1. Catchy Introduction

The first important step is starting the debate with a compelling introduction. You can begin with a question, a quote, or a statistic related to the topic.

Moreover, your introduction should state your stance on the topic and provides a preview of your arguments. 

2. State the Problem & Define Key Terms

Define key terms in your speech that are important to your argument. This helps to ensure that your audience understands the meaning of the words you use.

3. Present Your Arguments

Present your arguments in a clear and logical order. Start with your strongest argument and provide evidence to support it. Then, move on to the weaker arguments and provide evidence for each one.

A good argument often follows the PEE structure, which means "Point, Evidence, Explanation (PEE)".

• Point or Reason: This is where you state your main idea or argument, providing a concise and clear statement of your position. The point should be specific, focused, and relevant to the topic at hand. It serves as the foundation for your argument
• Evidence: Here, you provide supporting evidence to bolster your argument. This can take the form of examples, statistics, or any other relevant information that helps illustrate your point. 
• Explanation: In this part, you elaborate on how the evidence you provided supports your point. This is where you explain the relationship between your point and the evidence, highlighting its significance

4. Rebuttals 

Address counterarguments by acknowledging the opposing viewpoints and refuting them with evidence. This is called a rebuttal. 

It shows that you have considered both sides of the argument and strengthens your own position. Addressing counterarguments through rebuttals is a vital aspect of constructing a well-rounded and persuasive argument. 

Rebuttals involve presenting evidence that challenges the opposing counter-arguments and weakens their validity. Additionally, it is crucial to explain the flaws or fallacies in the opposing arguments during the process of rebuttal.

5. Conclusion

End your speech with a strong conclusion that summarizes your arguments and restates your stance on the topic. You can also end with a call to action, encouraging your audience to take action based on your argument.

Tips for Presenting a Debate Speech Effectively

The above steps will help you prepare and present an acceptable speech, but you can improve it even more with the tips below.

• Use Clear and Concise Language

Speak clearly and use language that is easy to understand. Avoid using jargon or complex words that might confuse your audience.

• Emphasize Key Points

Highlight the key points of your argument by using vocal inflection and tone. Emphasize important words or phrases to help your audience remember your key arguments.

• Use Body Language and Gestures

Body language and gestures can help to reinforce your arguments and make your speech more engaging. Use hand gestures to emphasize key points, and vary your posture and movement to keep your audience interested.

• Maintain Eye Contact

Maintain eye contact with your audience throughout your speech. This will help to establish a connection with them and make them feel more engaged with your argument.

• Use Vocal Variety and Tone

Vary your vocal tone and pace to add interest and emphasis to your speech. Use pauses and changes in pace to emphasize important points, and vary your volume to make your arguments more impactful.

• Use the Debate Speech Checklist

Here is a checklist that can help you evaluate your debate.

• Does your speech cover your opinion about the topic?
• Does your speech start with a catchy hook?
• Does your speech cover all the main points?
• Does your speech provide sufficient counterarguments?
• Does your speech contain enough evidence?
• Does your speech provide a call to action to the conclusion?

Debate Speech Examples 

Here are some examples to help you prepare and present your debate speech better. 

Debate Speech Structure

Debate Speech Template

Debate Speech Sample

Writing and delivering a successful debate speech requires careful planning, research, and effective communication skills. 

By following the steps and tips provided above, you can persuade your audience effectively and make a lasting impact. Remember to practice, rehearse, and be confident in your abilities. 

Still need expert help in writing your speech? We've got you covered! 

CollegeEssay.org is here to assist you. We are an expert speech writing service with a team of experienced professionals. 

Our AI essay writing tools can help you at every step of the speech-writing process, from selecting a topic to gathering evidence.

We provide customized, high-quality writing services at an affordable price. You can also take advantage from our AI essay writer tool to improve your writing skills.

So why wait? Contact our professional essay writing service and impress your audience with an amazing speech!

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the 4 types of debate.

The four main types of debate are: 

• Parliamentary Debate 
• Lincoln-Douglas Debate 
• Cross-Examination Debate 
• Academic Debate 

What are the 2 sides of a debate called?

The opposition and proposition are the two sides of a debate. 

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Debate Writing

Debate Speech

Debate Speech - Ultimate Writing Guide for Students

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Struggling to compose an impactful debate speech that captivates your audience and secures a win? 

You're not alone. Crafting a persuasive and well-structured debate speech is a challenge faced by numerous students. The process of articulating your thoughts, organizing arguments can be challenging.

However, fear not! This blog post is your comprehensive guide, presenting a step-by-step approach to empower you in constructing a debate speech. We’ve included examples and tips to make sure your speech captures attention and ensures a compelling and victorious performance.

So, keep reading.

• 1. What Is A Debate Speech?
• 2. How To Prepare For Debate Speech?
• 3. Debate Speech Examples for Students
• 4. Tips for an Effective Debate Speech
• 5. Debate Speech Topics

What Is A Debate Speech?

A debate speech is a formal presentation where you argue for or against a specific topic. 

It involves structured arguments presented in different sections, aiming to persuade the audience with facts and convincing points. It's a way of discussing and trying to show why your side is the right one on a particular subject.

Key Elements of A Debate Speech

A debate typically includes several essential elements to effectively communicate your position and persuade the audience. These elements form the building blocks of a strong debate speech:

• Opening Statements: These kick off the debate, presenting the main arguments for your side or against the motion. It sets the tone for the discussion.
• Rebuttals: In this stage, you respond to the arguments made by the opposing side, highlighting weaknesses or presenting counterpoints.
• Summary: Towards the end of the debate, a summary is provided to reinforce your main arguments and explain why your perspective is stronger. This section aims to leave a lasting impression on the audience.
• Use of Evidence: Supporting your arguments with evidence, facts, and examples strengthens your position and makes your speech more convincing.
• Logical Reasoning: Presenting arguments in a clear, logical sequence enhances the coherence and persuasiveness of your speech.
• Rhetorical Appeal: Adding appeals like ethos, pathos and logos to your speech can engage the audience, making your points more relatable and impactful.

How To Prepare For Debate Speech?

Creating a compelling debate speech requires a methodical approach that ensures a clear, convincing, and organized presentation. Let's delve into the detailed steps for an effective preparation:

Choosing a Position

Start by selecting a clear stance or position regarding the debate topic. Decide whether you are arguing for or against the motion. Understanding and committing to your position forms the foundation of your speech.

Conducting Thorough Research

Gathering information for your debate speech is really important. Look at different sources like books, reliable websites, and experts' ideas. 

Find facts, numbers, and real stories that support what you want to say. It's key to use strong and trusted information that backs up your side of the argument. 

When you collect different types of information, it makes your speech stronger and more convincing. This way, you'll be well-prepared to explain your ideas during the debate.

Structure The Key Points

After research and collecting points, organize your main arguments in a clear and logical manner to effectively convey your position in the debate. Set sufficient time to each key point to ensure they're adequately developed and presented. 

You can do this by following a debate format. Here is a standard debate speech format for a 20-15 minutes long debate:

How to Start a Debate Speech

Crafting a compelling opening for your speech involves capturing the audience's attention while introducing key points of discussion. 

You can achieve this by using attention-grabbing techniques such as sharing an eye-opening fact, a powerful quote, or a personal anecdote related to the topic. 

Additionally, it's beneficial to briefly outline the key areas of discussion that you'll cover in your speech. By providing a sneak peek of the main points, you offer the audience a roadmap of what's to come. 

This not only piques the audience's interest but also helps them anticipate and follow the structure of your speech.

Structure Your Arguments

Structuring arguments in the debate speech means organizing your ideas in a way that makes sense to others. 

A well-structured argument often uses the P-E-E format, which stands for Point, Evidence, Explanation (P-E-E):

• Point or Reason: Begin by stating your main argument or reason. This is the central idea you want to convey in support of your position.
• Evidence: Provide evidence, facts, or examples that support your point. This evidence should be reliable and back up what you're saying.
• Explanation: Explain how your evidence supports your point. Make it clear to your audience why this evidence is important and how it links to your argument.

This structure helps make your arguments more persuasive and clear. It enables you to present your points effectively, support them with evidence, and explain why that evidence matters in the context of your argument.

Address Counterarguments (Rebuttals)

Addressing counterarguments involves anticipating the opposing viewpoints and crafting responses, known as rebuttals , within your speech. A rebuttal is a persuasive counter-argument that challenges or opposes the points raised by the other side.

By thinking ahead and having strong responses, you showcase a comprehensive understanding of the subject matter. 

This approach makes your argument stronger and shows your skill in defending your position, boosting your speech's credibility.

How to End a Debate Speech

Concluding your debate speech effectively is as important as starting it strong. Here are two impactful ways to conclude your speech:

• Summarize Key Points with a Call to Action Example: "In conclusion, the evidence overwhelmingly supports the idea that [your stance on the topic]. As we leave here today, let's not merely acknowledge the importance of [debate topic] but commit to [call to action], ensuring a brighter future for all."
• End with a Powerful Quote or Statement Example: "As [relevant figure] once wisely said, '[insert impactful quote].' Let these words guide us in our understanding of [debate topic]. Together, we can [highlight the desired outcome or change]."

Review And Practice

The last step is to review and practice a lot. Read through your speech to make sure it all makes sense and fits the time limit. 

Practice how you talk, how fast or slow, and how you use your body while speaking. Also, be ready to answer questions or handle different arguments. 

Do a few final practice rounds to feel more confident and comfortable. This way, you'll be well-prepared and ready to deliver a strong debate speech.

Debate Speech Examples for Students

For students, understanding how to structure and present a debate speech is crucial. Here are some debate speech samples to help you grasp the basics of debating:

First Speaker Debate Speech Example

2nd Speaker Debate Speech Example

3rd Speaker Debate Speech Example

Short Example Of Debate Speech

Debate Speech Structure

Examples can serve as a great starting point. Check out more expertly crafted debate examples for inspiration!

Tips for an Effective Debate Speech

Crafting a persuasive and impactful debate speech requires careful consideration and strategic planning. Here are key tips to enhance the effectiveness of your presentation:

• Tailor language to match the audience's demographics and interests.
• Strengthen arguments with credible sources and diverse perspectives.
• Organize with a clear introduction, well-developed body, and strong conclusion for a logical flow.
• Capture attention with a compelling quote, question, or anecdote.
• Support arguments with relevant statistics, examples, and real-world scenarios.
• Anticipate opposing viewpoints and incorporate strong rebuttals.
• Clearly articulate and repeat key ideas to reinforce your stance.
• Maintain a dynamic and engaging delivery by varying tone and pace.
• Pay attention to body language, eye contact, and gestures.
• Allocate time wisely for each speech segment to ensure a well-paced presentation.
• Be prepared to adapt to unexpected changes during the debate.
• Practice multiple times to enhance clarity, emphasis, and pacing, boosting confidence.

Need to polish your debate? Have a look at this in-depth blog on debate techniques and get effective tips!

Debate Speech Topics

Here are some unique topic ideas for you to write a debate on.

• Credit cards are more harmful than debit cards.
• We are becoming too dependent on technology.
• Marriage is an outdated concept.
• Homework is necessary with regard to the learning process.
• Being a college graduate in the United States is necessary for a successful career.
• It is a good idea to have laptops in classrooms.
• Facebook is a better social platform than Twitter.
• Cell phones can be used as educational tools.
• Junk food must be banned in high schools and colleges.
• The Prime Minister of any state enjoys more power than the president.

Can’t pick a topic? Check out this extensive blog with multiple debate topics and get unique ideas!

You are now better equipped to confidently prepare and deliver your debate speech.

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The Most Powerful Debate Speech Strategy And Topic Ideas

Hrideep barot.

• Speech Topics

Welcome to the exciting world of debate speech and topics! Forget the fancy jargon; let’s talk about how debates aren’t just about winning arguments. Picture it as a journey where we explore ideas and connect. We’re not just tossing words around; we’re diving into the core of what makes us tick.

Think of debates as more than just convincing speeches. They’re like a doorway to understanding and connecting with people. It all begins with a strong start – our introduction. It’s not just about capturing attention; it’s about inviting everyone into a space where ideas clash and minds expand.

In this space, words aren’t just tools; they’re the architects of who we are becoming. Our journey is more than winning debates; it’s about developing critical thinking, becoming great communicators, and understanding each other better. So, let’s kick off this adventure together, where the magic of debate isn’t just in the words we say but in how they shape us along the way.

11 Greatest Debate Topics Of All Time.

• How To Write a Debate Speech?

Ways In which Debate Helps Shape Overall Personality.

10 powerful debate strategies which can never go wrong. .

•  Conclusion. 

1. The Existence of a Higher Power: God vs. Atheism

Theological Arguments: Explore philosophical and theological arguments for the existence of God, such as the cosmological, teleological, and moral arguments.

Scientific Perspectives: Consider scientific perspectives that challenge traditional religious beliefs, including evolutionary theory and the Big Bang theory.

Personal Beliefs: Discuss the role of personal experiences and beliefs in shaping one’s stance on the existence of a higher power.

2. Freedom of Speech vs. Hate Speech Laws

Importance of Free Expression: Discuss the fundamental value of free expression in a democratic society and its role in fostering diversity of thought.

Harm Principle: Explore the harm principle as a criterion for limiting speech and the ethical considerations in regulating hate speech.

Balancing Rights: Consider the challenges in striking a balance between protecting individual rights and preventing harm to marginalized communities.

3. Legalization of Recreational Drugs: Pros and Cons

Individual Liberty: Discuss the argument for individual liberty, asserting that adults should have the autonomy to make choices about their bodies.

Public Health Concerns: Explore the potential negative impacts of drug legalization on public health and societal well-being.

Economic Implications: Consider the economic implications, including potential tax revenue and job creation, associated with the legalization of recreational drugs.

4. Climate Change: Human-Made vs. Natural Causes

Scientific Consensus: Examine the overwhelming scientific consensus supporting the idea that human activities contribute significantly to climate change.

Skeptic Perspectives: Discuss skeptical views that challenge the extent of human impact on climate change, considering natural climate variations.

Policy Implications: Explore the policy implications of different perspectives, including the urgency for mitigation and adaptation measures.

5. Capital Punishment: Morality and Deterrence

Retribution and Justice: Discuss the concept of retribution and whether capital punishment serves as a just response to heinous crimes.

Deterrence Effect: Examine the debate over the deterrent effect of capital punishment on potential criminals.

Risk of Wrongful Execution: Consider the ethical implications of the potential for wrongful executions and the irreversible nature of the death penalty.

6. Immigration Policies: Open Borders vs. Strict Control

Economic Contributions: Discuss the economic benefits of immigration, including contributions to the labor force and entrepreneurship.

National Security Concerns: Explore concerns related to national security, public resources, and the potential strain on social services.

Humanitarian Considerations: Consider the moral and humanitarian aspects of providing refuge to those fleeing violence or seeking a better life.

7. Assisted Suicide: Right to Die vs. Sanctity of Life

Autonomy and Dignity: Discuss the principle of autonomy and an individual’s right to make decisions about their own life, including the choice of assisted suicide.

Ethical and Religious Perspectives: Examine ethical and religious perspectives that emphasize the sanctity of life and the moral implications of assisted suicide.

Legal Implications: Consider the legal frameworks and ethical guidelines surrounding assisted suicide in different jurisdictions.

8. Privacy in the Digital Age: Security vs. Individual Rights

Surveillance Technologies: Explore the capabilities and implications of modern surveillance technologies, including mass data collection and facial recognition.

National Security Justifications: Discuss arguments that support increased surveillance for national security purposes, especially in the context of preventing terrorism.

Individual Privacy Concerns: Examine concerns related to the erosion of individual privacy rights, data breaches, and the potential for abuse of surveillance powers.

9. Universal Basic Income: Reducing Inequality vs. Economic Sustainability

Poverty Alleviation: Discuss the potential of a universal basic income (UBI) to alleviate poverty and provide financial stability to all citizens.

Economic Viability: Explore concerns about the economic feasibility and sustainability of implementing UBI, including potential impacts on workforce participation.

Social and Economic Equity: Consider how UBI might address systemic inequalities and contribute to a more equitable distribution of resources.

10. Censorship in the Arts: Protecting Morality vs. Freedom of Expression

Artistic Freedom: Discuss the importance of artistic freedom as a form of expression and creativity.

Moral and Cultural Sensitivities: Explore the need for censorship to protect societal values, moral standards, and cultural sensitivities.

Role of Cultural Context: Consider how cultural context and shifting societal norms influence the boundaries of artistic expression.

11. Animal Testing: Scientific Advancement vs. Animal Rights

Scientific Progress: Discuss the contributions of animal testing to scientific and medical advancements, including the development of new treatments and pharmaceuticals.

Ethical Treatment of Animals: Examine the ethical considerations surrounding the use of animals in research, focusing on animal rights, welfare, and alternatives to testing.

Balancing Interests: Explore the challenge of balancing scientific progress with the ethical treatment of animals, seeking common ground that respects both human and animal interests.

These elaborations provide a more in-depth understanding of each controversial debate topic, touching on various perspectives, considerations, and implications associated with each issue. Each topic reflects a complex interplay of values, ethics, and practical considerations that make them enduring subjects of discussion and debate.

How To Write A Debate Speech ?

Introduction: grabbing attention.

Begin your debate speech with a captivating introduction to immediately capture the audience’s interest. Consider using a powerful quote, a relevant anecdote, or a surprising fact related to your topic. The goal is to create an immediate connection with your listeners and set the stage for the discussion that follows. Make it clear why the topic is important and worthy of their attention. You might also include a brief overview of the main points you will cover to provide a roadmap for your audience.

Thesis Statement: Clearly State Your Position

Craft a concise and compelling thesis statement that communicates your stance on the topic. This statement should serve as the central point around which your entire speech revolves. Take the opportunity to highlight the significance of your position and why it is the most rational or ethical perspective. Additionally, consider briefly acknowledging the existence of opposing views to demonstrate your awareness of the complexity of the issue.

Main Arguments: Develop Strong Points

For each main argument, delve into detailed explanations supported by robust evidence. This evidence could include relevant research findings, real-life examples, or historical precedents. Be sure to explain the logical connections between your points and the overall thesis. Use persuasive language to underscore the importance of each argument, making it clear why the audience should find your perspective compelling.

Addressing Counter Arguments: Anticipate and Refute

Demonstrate a thorough understanding of the opposing viewpoint by anticipating counterarguments. Acknowledge these counterarguments respectfully before providing well-reasoned and persuasive refutations. This not only strengthens your position but also shows intellectual honesty and a willingness to engage with diverse perspectives. Use facts, logic, and reasoning to effectively dismantle counterarguments, leaving your audience with a sense of the robustness of your position.

Emphasize Impact: Appeal to Emotions and Values

While presenting your arguments, strategically incorporate emotional appeals to resonate with your audience. Share relatable stories, connect your points to shared values, and use language that evokes an emotional response. This not only adds depth to your speech but also helps create a memorable and impactful impression. A balance between logic and emotion can make your arguments more persuasive and relatable.

Use Persuasive Language: Enhance Convincing Power

Employ a variety of rhetorical devices and persuasive language techniques to enhance the power of your speech. Metaphors, analogies, and vivid language can make complex ideas more accessible and memorable. Consider using repetition to emphasize key points and create a rhythmic flow in your speech. Aim for clarity and precision in your language to ensure that your audience easily grasps the nuances of your arguments.

Maintain Clarity and Organization: Structured Delivery

Organize your speech in a clear and logical structure to facilitate easy comprehension. Begin with a strong introduction, followed by a clear progression of main points. Use transitions between ideas to maintain coherence and guide your audience through the flow of your arguments. A well-structured speech not only aids understanding but also enhances the overall impact of your message.

Engage the Audience: Foster Connection

Encourage active engagement by incorporating rhetorical questions, interactive elements, or moments of audience participation. Foster a sense of connection by speaking directly to the concerns and interests of your listeners. Consider using relatable examples of anecdotes that resonate with the experiences of your audience. Engaging your listeners in this way can create a more dynamic and memorable speech.

Conclusion: Reinforce Your Message

In your conclusion, re-emphasize the key points of your speech and restate your thesis with conviction. Summarize the main arguments in a way that reinforces your overall message. Conclude with a powerful and memorable statement that leaves a lasting impression on your audience. Avoid introducing new information in the conclusion; instead, focus on leaving a strong and final impact that reinforces the significance of your position.

Q&A Preparation: Be Ready for Questions

Anticipate potential questions that may arise from your audience and prepare thoughtful and well-reasoned responses. Demonstrating a thorough understanding of your topic and the ability to address inquiries with confidence adds credibility to your overall presentation. Consider practicing responses to common questions to refine your ability to articulate your position effectively. During the Q&A session, maintain composure and be open to constructive dialogue, further showcasing your expertise and conviction.

Remember, the key to a successful debate speech lies not only in the strength of your arguments but also in your ability to connect with and persuade your audience. Regular practice, feedback, and a genuine passion for your topic will contribute to a compelling and influential presentation.

Check this out to learn about public speaking and debate differences. 

Critical Thinking Skills:

Engaging in debates cultivates critical thinking by training individuals to analyze information rigorously. Debaters learn to identify key arguments, evaluate evidence, and discern logical connections. This process enhances their ability to approach complex issues with a discerning and analytical mindset.

Effective Communication:

Debate serves as a powerful platform for honing effective communication skills. Participants develop the art of articulation, mastering the ability to express ideas clearly and persuasively. Regular exposure to public speaking opportunities not only boosts confidence but also refines the delivery of compelling messages.

Check this out to learn how to deliver a memorable speech:

Research and Information Retrieval:

Debates foster strong research skills as individuals delve into diverse topics, evaluate sources, and synthesize information effectively. This process not only enhances information literacy but also teaches valuable skills in data analysis and interpretation.

Empathy and Understanding:

The nature of debates, where participants engage with a variety of viewpoints, promotes empathy and a deeper understanding of different perspectives. Exposure to diverse opinions encourages individuals to appreciate cultural nuances and fosters a more inclusive worldview.

Conflict Resolution Skills:

Debates contribute to the development of conflict resolution skills by emphasizing constructive dialogue and negotiation. Participants learn to navigate differences of opinion, seek common ground, and work towards resolutions collaboratively.

Leadership Qualities:

Active participation in debates fosters leadership qualities such as confidence and initiative. Debaters often take charge of researching, organizing arguments, and leading team efforts, contributing to the development of effective leadership skills.

Time Management:

The time constraints inherent in debates teach individuals to prioritize information effectively. Participants learn to cover multiple points within a structured timeframe, enhancing their ability to manage time efficiently.

Check this out to learn how to ace a 2-minute speech:

Teamwork and Collaboration:

Debating frequently occurs in team settings, fostering teamwork and collaboration. Participants develop skills in effective communication within teams, resolving conflicts, and achieving collective goals.

Debate, as a structured and disciplined form of discourse, provides a platform for personal growth and the development of a well-rounded personality. It not only enhances cognitive and communication skills but also nurtures qualities such as empathy, adaptability, and ethical decision-making, contributing to the holistic development of individuals.

1. Solid Research And Preparation: The Foundation Of Success

In-Depth Understanding: Devote time to thoroughly understand the nuances of your chosen topic. Conduct extensive research to be well-informed on various aspects of the issue.

Counterargument Anticipation: Anticipate potential counterarguments that opponents might present. This allows you to proactively address opposing views and strengthen your position.

Factual Support: Arm yourself with concrete evidence, facts, and statistics. This not only bolsters your credibility but also adds weight to your arguments.

2. Clear And Concise Communication: Precision Matters

Clarity of Expression: Express your ideas in a straightforward and easy-to-understand manner. Avoid unnecessary complexity that might confuse the audience and dilute your message.

Key Message Emphasis: Emphasize key points with precision. Clearly articulate your thesis and ensure that each supporting argument aligns with and reinforces your central message.

Memorable Language: Use language that is both concise and memorable. Craft statements that leave a lasting impression, making it easier for the audience to recall your key arguments.

3. Active Listening: Addressing Counterarguments Effectively

Attentiveness: Actively listen to your opponents during the debate. Paying close attention allows you to respond effectively and demonstrate respect for differing viewpoints.

Acknowledgment of Valid Points: Acknowledge valid points made by the opposition. This not only showcases your fairness but also allows you to engage in a more constructive and nuanced debate.

Strategic Response: Respond thoughtfully to counterarguments. Be prepared to address opposing views with well-reasoned and compelling rebuttals.

4. Adaptability: Flexibility In The Face Of Challenges

Responsive Approach: Be prepared to adapt your strategy based on the flow of the debate. Flexibility allows you to navigate unexpected turns and respond effectively to evolving circumstances.

Open-Mindedness: Demonstrate an open-minded approach to new information. If presented with compelling evidence, be willing to adjust your stance accordingly.

Strategic Agility: Develop the ability to think on your feet and adjust your arguments and responses as the debate unfolds.

5. Emotional Intelligence: Connecting With Your Audience

Understanding Audience Emotions: Consider the emotions and values of your audience. Tailor your arguments to resonate with the experiences and concerns of the people you are addressing.

Emotional Appeals: Incorporate emotional appeals strategically. Connecting with the audience on an emotional level makes your arguments more relatable and persuasive.

Empathy in Communication: Use empathy to establish a genuine connection. Demonstrate an understanding of the perspectives and emotions of your audience.

6. Confidence And Body Language: Projecting Authority

Confident Posture: Maintain a confident and upright posture throughout the debate. Projecting confidence through body language contributes to your perceived authority.

Eye Contact: Make deliberate and consistent eye contact with the audience and opponents. This not only conveys confidence but also fosters a sense of connection.

Vocal Presence: Ensure a strong and clear vocal presence. Speak with conviction and avoid vocal patterns that may suggest uncertainty.

7. Strategic Use of Time: Maximize Impact

Time Allocation: Strategically allocate your time to cover all key points without rushing. Prioritize high-impact arguments and allocate sufficient time for their presentation.

Strategic Pauses: Use strategic pauses for emphasis. Pauses allow the audience to absorb your points and can add weight to your arguments.

Time Management Skills: Develop effective time management skills to ensure that your speech is well-paced and impactful.

8. Consistency in Messaging: Reinforce Your Core Points

Unified Message: Maintain consistency in your messaging throughout the debate. Reinforce your core arguments and thesis to create a cohesive and unified presentation.

Avoiding Contradictions: Be vigilant about avoiding contradictions in your arguments. Inconsistencies can weaken your overall position and undermine your credibility.

Repetition for Emphasis: Repetition can be used strategically to emphasize key points and ensure that your central message is reinforced.

9. Engage the Audience: Foster Connection and Interest

Relatable Examples: Connect with the audience by using relatable examples and anecdotes. Grounding your arguments in real-life situations makes your message more accessible.

Interactive Elements: Encourage audience engagement through rhetorical questions or interactive elements. Active participation fosters a sense of involvement and interest.

Addressing Audience Concerns: Speak directly to the concerns and interests of your audience. Tailor your arguments to resonate with the experiences and values of those you are addressing.

10. Grace Under Pressure: Navigate Challenges with Composure

Calm Demeanor: Remain calm and composed, especially when faced with challenging questions or counterarguments. A composed demeanor enhances your perceived competence and confidence.

Professionalism: Handle pressure with grace and professionalism. Maintain focus on the substance of your arguments rather than getting derailed by external pressures.

Effective Problem-Solving: Develop effective problem-solving skills to address unexpected challenges. Navigating pressure with composure demonstrates resilience and adaptability.

By incorporating these elaborated strategies into your debating approach, you can enhance your effectiveness, build credibility, and leave a lasting impression on your audience. Continuous practice and refinement will contribute to your growth as a skilled and persuasive debater.

In summary, the world of debate is a transformative journey that extends beyond the exchange of arguments. Crafting a debate speech is more than an exercise in persuasion; it’s an opportunity to refine our ability to connect with others. Exploring profound topics in debates prompts introspection and broadens our understanding of the world.

Powerful debate strategies go beyond winning; they teach us adaptability and the importance of emotional intelligence. It’s not just about presenting arguments; it’s about becoming individuals who can navigate life’s challenges with resilience and grace. Debate shapes our personality in multifaceted ways. It cultivates critical thinking, enhances communication skills, and instills empathy. Engaging with diverse perspectives fosters a more nuanced worldview, contributing to a well-rounded personality.

In essence, the debate is a dynamic and evolving process that leaves an unerasable mark on our character. It’s a journey that molds us into individuals capable of not only articulating ideas persuasively but also of connecting with others on a deeper level. Through debate, we become architects of our growth, equipped with the skills and perspectives needed to thrive in the ever-changing landscape of life.

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How to Write a Debate Speech in English | Format, and Examples

Every student has to write a debate at some point in school, college, or university and if you don’t know about the methods and steps to write a debate speech, you won’t write an effective debate speech to increase your chance of success. Following a proper structure and format in debate writing is essential for a good debate to convenience the audience. There are some tips and methods to write an effective debate speech and by setting a tone and correct words choice and sentences, you can grab the judge’s and the audience’s attention. So, are you searching for pro tips on how to write a debate speech in English? Let’s dive into this article and get complete knowledge about debate writing.

Before diving into the steps of debate writing, it’s necessary to understand debate speech definition and debate speech format.

Debate Speech Definition

A debate speech is a formal discussion on a specific topic between two opposing sides or groups. One side discusses in a favor of the given topic or title, while the other side speaks against it or disagrees with the first side. The main purpose of a debate speech is to convince the judges and audience that your opinion is right. In debate speech, you need to express your views in a specific format and make your opponents impress by good debate writing skills.

Debate Speech Format

You can follow the following pattern for a debate speech.

Opening Statements and Explanation

This section consists of the opening sentences by using three arguments with explaining questions.

• Pro Tema – Up to 5 minutes
• Con Team – Up to 2 minutes
• Con Team – Up to 5 minutes
• Pro Team – Up to 2 minutes

Rebuttals (No new Arguments Here)

In this section, the debaters repeat the deponent arguments and evaluate what is wrong with his/her position.

• Pro Team – Up to 3 minutes
• Con Team – Up to 3 minutes

Debate Summary

In the summary, debates summarize their positions after detailed arguments and discussions with the opponents. In addition, the debaters also say why their position is the best.

Finally, each group will be assumed to answer the questions up to 20 minutes long session. For instance, you can look at the following debate speech template to get an idea of the debate speech structure.

Debate Speech Format PDF

How to Write a Debate (6 Steps)

Structuring and writing your debate correctly will increase your chance of success. By following the 6 easy steps below will help you win the debate competition. Without further ado let’s dive into the following steps.

• Begin With a Strong Opening Lines
• Define the Topic
• Signposting

Step #1: Begin With a Strong Opening Lines

Every good speech and discussion starts with a strong sentence. Remember the first impression is the last impression, hence start your debate with a strong opening line that can help you impress the audience and the judge immediately. For example, you can start your debate by asking an open-ended question, tell a story, state an amazing fact or say a powerful quotation.

Step #2: Define the Topic

When you started your debate with a strong sentence and catch the audience’s attention, in the next step you need to make the subject clear to your listeners. You need to state the topic and your group’s position on the topic to help the audience comprehend the side you are going to argue about.

For Example:

“Ladies and gentlemen, today I would like to talk to you about the education system. The education system that we have followed in our country has been reformed many times. Computer literacy at the age of 13 can help in the child’s future studies. Here, I will argue that the problem is the pandemic, besides being stressful, are indecisive in assessing student learning.”

Step #3: Signposting

Signposting may seem irritating and avoidable. If you are word-addict it can even seem like it’s confusing the flow of your otherwise clear and lyrical speech. However, it’s totally important in the format of a good debate speech. You might think that you write a good debate speech, but remember the audience isn’t you to judge. They don’t how much idea about the topic as you have and they might get bored for a few moments in your introduction and then get completely lost. This is why signposting is necessary for debate.

This is a good way to remind your audience of what you are discussing and where you are up to in your speech. Hence, after your introduction add a few points that tell the audience that how many points you are going to deliver and in what order you are delivering them.

Also Read : Essential Transition Words and Phrases for Writing

Step #4: Rebuttal

Have you heard that sometimes the best offense is a good defense? In a professional debate, the most compelling part is usually when one side takes one of the arguments of the opponent and then cuts it to pieces. Indeed, it’s the most difficult part of any debate speech to finish correctly. In a debate speech Rebutting arguments forces you to think thoroughly on the spot. You have a little time like 30 to 40 seconds to take arguments that your opponent has spent a lot of time researching and edging and convincingly oppose it.

There are some approaches that you can use while rebutting in a debate speech and make the challenge a little less dismay. These include the following:

• Pre-research thoroughly
• What’s the point
• Economic Challanges
• Say your own arguments

Step #5: Arguments

The argument is the most significant part of a debate speech. To make it clear for you, we have divided this down into four simple subtopics.

1. Decide what to argue:

If you have researched the topics and have good information, then a lot of arguments will come to your mind. It always requires good research to come up with talking points. Consider the issue. You can research online, read books and novels for good ideas. When you have good knowledge of the topic then the right arguments will come to your mind no matter how strong your position is.

2. The Layout :

Writing an argument is the same as writing a body paragraph for an essay. You can start each argument by signposting for instance, “Initially, I want to argue….” and then follow up with a sentence shortly. After this, you need to talk in detail about the topic by giving some facts and statics to constitute what you are saying, and then at the end link neatly back to the title of the debate to make clear to the audience that you are not only giving a passionate rant but instead making a carefully calculated point that related in with a general thesis statement.

3. Find Evidence:

Embedding the right evidence into your debate speech makes you more conceivable, but using the wrong and irrelevant evidence from a wrong source leaves you vulnerable to be attacked by the opposition. Hence, it’s necessary to search beforehand and find the right evidence.

4. Persuasive Strategies:

Remember you can be as persuasive and colorful in debate as you write a persuasive piece. Don’t use harsh words or insult your opponents and don’t use the sense of humor where it’s not important, but other than the obvious limitation you can use as many persuasive strategies as you can.

Step #6: How to Conclude

The conclusion is the result of your writing and is one of the most important parts of a debate speech. It should sum the points you have written in the whole parts of your writing, and by delivering the conclusion of your debate the listeners or readers should feel as if they have gained the result of whatever you have written in the body.

Writing a conclusion for a debate speech is the same as writing a conclusion for an essay. In the link below you can read more about how to conclude a debate.

• How to Write the Best Concluding Paragraph

Debate Speech Sample in English

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How to Create a Debate Speech

How to Write a Definition Speech

A debate is a formal, friendly competition between two people or two teams that take opposing sides on an issue -- a proposition side that is in favor of adopting a resolution and an opposition side that refutes the resolution. To craft a debate speech that grabs and holds the attention of the judges and audience, set the tone by using simple words precisely and accurately. Inaccurate word choice opens you up to attack from your opponents. Do not use casual, rude or offensive language.

Open the Debate

Introduce the topic in the first paragraph then make a statement that clearly and specifically identifies the team's position -- in favor or against the motion or issue under debate. Define and explain any complex scientific or technological terms or processes your audience needs to understand the topic before stating if you are for or against the resolution . For instance, if the debate is about a resolution to ban a specific environmental hazard such as shale oil drilling, explain the process of drilling through rock -- hydraulic fracturing known as fracking -- with a high-pressure mixture of chemicals and water to release resources of oil and gas

Present the Context

Explain the context -- the related circumstances and events in real life that relate to the topic. For example, if your team is against fracking, offer examples and statistics about groundwater contamination and earthquake events over time that scientists believe are related to shale drilling. The opposition could show how fracking decreases the country’s dependence on foreign energy products and helps stabilize the economy. To capture the emotional impact of the topic, tell an anecdote about someone who has personal experience with the topic or use a short famous quote, proverb, saying or poem and explain how it relates to the topic.

Provide an Overview

Make an attack that goes beyond a mere rebuttal of a particular point with an overview of the debate so far. The idea is to evaluate the arguments made by the opposing team and to point out any flaws in the general approach. For the fracking issue, you could point out that arguments about an environmental phenomenon should not be based primarily on an economic or foreign policy issues. The opposition could question the scientific evidence against fracking procedures or point out that the argument so far ignores some important factors such as the opportunity fracking offers to generate electricity at half the CO2 emissions of coal.

Direct Audience Attention

Insert transition markers to keep the arguments in the middle of the speech from merging with each other. For example, instead of just saying “furthermore,” refer specifically to each point as either first, second or third point. For instance, you could say: “Now let us look at why the opposition’s first point concerning environmental contamination is flawed.” Use a signpost such as “For my first rebuttal, allow me to address the opposition’s second point about dependence on foreign oil.” Eliminate “deadwood” such as “as you may know, as I mentioned before, in the final analysis,” or "Ladies and Gentlemen." A short pause is more effective to help keep the audience’s attention.

Conclude with a Theme

Sum up the key points you have presented and if time permits what the other speakers have presented. Refer back to the introduction’s anecdote or use a quote that vividly conveys the theme of argument such as what attitudes toward fracking have to say about a future of economic stability or environmental devastation. Debate speeches often end with a flourish -- a showy, emotional or dramatic tone that conveys intensity of feeling.

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How to write a rebuttal speech.

A native of New Orleans, Amanda Petrona holds a Bachelor of Science in anthropology/social psychology and Master of Arts in English. She taught writing, research and literature at LSU Baton Rouge. Petrona founded Wild Spirit Louisiana, an organic farm, nature conservatory, and education center for sustainable and holistic living.

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101: Introduction to PF

What is Public Forum?

How to Win a PF Debate Round

How to Judge a PF Debate Round

How to Prepare for a PF Tournament

Speech Types & Lengths in PF

The Case: Constructive

The Rebuttal Speech

The Summary Speech

The Final Focus

102: Beyond the Basics

Constructing a Case

Mastering the Constructives

Mastering the Rebuttals

Final Speeches

Public Forum Debate Format

The following table details the speech names, lengths, and the side responsible for giving the speech.

The rest of the guide discusses the purpose of each speech and investigates key strategies for delivering effective speeches.

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How to Begin a Debate

Last Updated: March 28, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Lynn Kirkham . Lynn Kirkham is a Professional Public Speaker and Founder of Yes You Can Speak, a San Francisco Bay Area-based public speaking educational business empowering thousands of professionals to take command of whatever stage they've been given - from job interviews, boardroom talks to TEDx and large conference platforms. Lynn was chosen as the official TEDx Berkeley speaker coach for the last four years and has worked with executives at Google, Facebook, Intuit, Genentech, Intel, VMware, and others. There are 9 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 1,007,479 times.

Opening a debate the right way will make your audience more interested and help you win your argument. Before your debate , take the time to prepare a solid opening that will win people over.

Grabbing the Audience's Attention

• Your story should capture the essence of your debate . It could explore, for example, the challenges you have faced in relation to the topic, how you overcame these challenges, and the lessons you learned.
• For example, "As a person who suffers from seizures, medical marijuana was a saving grace. My family and I had to move across to the country in order for me to get treated, but it was worth the risk. My seizures decreased from five seizures a day to only one seizure per week."
• Make sure that the story comes from your heart rather than your head. If you're just regurgitating a story from memory, it's not going to land with the audience.

• You can ask, for example, “Would you like to see a loved one suffer for no reason at all?”

• You can say, for example, “A billion tons of plastic are floating in the ocean right now. That is enough plastic to make an island the size of Hawaii.” Then, proceed to talk about the issue and explain to your audience why your resolution is the best one.

• For example, imagine you are giving a speech on why you think higher education is unnecessary for succeeding in life. You could open with, “Mark Twain once said, ‘Don’t let school interfere with your education.’”
• Make sure that quote comes from your heart and feels authentic. It must speak to you and your audience while also making a point.

• For example, if you are arguing that climate change is real, show a before and after picture of a glacier that has been affected by excessive amounts of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Beginning the Debate

• Identify the key terms in your argument and look up their definitions in a range of dictionaries. Choose the most appropriate definition for each word. You want to pick a definition that is neutral and conventional.
• Your definitions can be literal, as well as contextualized. Contextualized definitions add examples of how the concept applies to the real world. For example, a contextualized definition of money would show that money is used to buy services, such as food and gas.

• For example, “My team and I will show you the need, practicality, and benefits of medicinal marijuana. Together we will show that thousands of patients, including young children, who suffer from seizures, find relief in medicinal marijuana. Studies show that medicinal marijuana reduces instances of seizures by 80%. Furthermore, the side effects of medicinal marijuana are not as severe as the side effects that come with conventional forms of medication used to treat seizures, particularly for children. We will show that medicinal marijuana is a practical, safe, and cost-effective solution for patients and their families.”

• In order to demonstrate that your team's policy will work, use policies that have already been enacted as the basis of your policy. For example, you can highlight that a ban on using cellphones while driving is similar to the ban on drinking while driving.
• Try to focus on three important reasons for why the policy is needed or needs to change. [7] X Trustworthy Source American Psychological Association Leading scientific and professional organization of licensed psychologists Go to source

Presenting the Debate

• Greet your audience by saying, “Good morning faculty and staff. The topic of today’s debate is student parking,” or “Good morning teachers and students. Thank you for taking the time to come to this debate. Today, the topic is student parking.”

• State what your side is arguing by saying, “We believe enrolled students should not have to pay for a parking pass to park on campus,” or “We believe enrolled students should pay for a parking pass to park on campus.”
• Explain the speakers' roles by saying, “As the first speaker, I will be defining key terms and outlining our main argument. Our second speaker will explain the supporting reasons for our argument, and our third speaker will summarize our argument.”

• Remember to maintain eye contact with an audience at the end of a sentence.
• Hold eye contact with an individual for only three to five seconds, then move on to someone else.
• Practice holding eye contact with someone you know for a minute or two. Repeat the exercise 5 or 6 times—that will really help a lot.

• Also, remember to take pauses. Pauses allow you to catch your breath and plan what you will say next. They also allow your audience to process what you have just said.

Debate Help

Expert Q&A

• Give yourself a pep talk by looking at yourself in the mirror. Tell yourself that you're awesome, that you're a great speaker, that you believe in yourself, and that you appreciate yourself. Thanks Helpful 16 Not Helpful 3

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://www.apa.org/monitor/2011/01/stories
• ↑ https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/plato-rhetoric/
• ↑ https://libguides.usc.edu/writingguide/quantitative
• ↑ https://positivepsychology.com/positive-psychology-quotes/
• ↑ https://open.lib.umn.edu/businesscommunication/chapter/11-4-visual-aids/
• ↑ https://www.readingrockets.org/strategies/summarizing
• ↑ https://www.apa.org/advocacy/guide
• ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/cutting-edge-leadership/201404/5-secret-powers-eye-contact
• ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/communication-success/201911/do-you-talk-too-fast-how-to-slow-down

About This Article

The best way to start a debate is to open with a bold rhetorical question, a touching personal story that’s relevant to your argument, or a shocking statistic. Once you have your audience’s attention, define the key terms you’ll be using in your debate and summarize your case. For tips on presenting your argument, like how long to maintain eye contact with audience members, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Complete Guide to Debating: How to Improve your Debating Skills

August 1, 2018 - Gini Beqiri

Debating can look intimidating from the sidelines, with speakers appearing confident, passionate and unwavering, but it consists of skills that anybody can learn. Debating may not be something that you encounter in your everyday work but these skills can be incredibly valuable. In this article we provide a guide to the basics of debating.

What is debating?

A debate is a structured contest over an issue or policy. There are two sides – one supporting, one opposing.

Benefits of debating include:

• Allowing you to think about aspects and perspectives you may not have considered.
• Encourages you to speak strategically.
• Improving  public speaking skills .
• Learning how to create a persuasive argument.
• When you have to argue against your personal view you realise that there are two sides to the argument.

Debating examples

The U.K. Prime Minister, Theresa May, answers questions:

This example video shows Theresa May answering questions from MPs in the House of Commons. Notice her strong debating skills and how she answers difficult questions under pressure.

Watch the full video here:  Prime Minister’s Questions: 16 May 2018

Debate structure

There are multiple formats a debate can follow, this is a basic debate structure:

• A topic is chosen for each debate – this is called a resolution or motion. It can be a statement, policy or idea. The motion is usually a policy which changes the current state of affairs or a statement which is either truth or false. The motion typically starts with “This House…”
• The Affirmative team support the statement
• The Negative team oppose the statement
• Sometimes you will be asked to take a position in the debate but in other debates you will be allocated your position.
• Teams are provided with time to prepare – usually one hour
• Each speaker presents for a set amount of time
• Speakers alternate between the teams, usually a speaker in the Affirmative team starts, followed by a Negative speaker, then the second Affirmative speaker presents, followed by the second Negative speaker etc.
• The debate is then judged.
• There may be an audience present but they are not involved in the debate

Once you have learned how to debate in one format you can easily switch to another.

Roles of the speakers

Each speaker must typically do the following:

First Affirmative

• Contextualise the debate – clearly set out your team’s interpretation of the topic and the significant issues they disagree with.
• Provide definitions if necessary.
• Outline the team line and the team split – this is where you outline your team’s case and summarise the way your arguments have been divided between your speakers.
• Provide 2-3 arguments supporting the motion.

First Negative

• Clearly state your definition
• Provide your arguments as to why this is the superior definition
• Rebut the Affirmative’s arguments supporting their definition
• Outline a team line and team split.
• Rebut the arguments made by the First Affirmative.
• Deliver 2-3 arguments against the motion.

Second Affirmative

• If needed, resolve any definitional issues.
• Rebut the First Negative’s arguments.
• Deliver 2-3 arguments supporting the motion.

Second Negative

• Rebut the arguments made by the Affirmative team up to this point, with a focus on the Second Affirmative’s arguments.

Third Affirmative

• Rebut specific issues raised by Second Negative and defend any other important attacks on your team’s case.
• Conclude your speech with a brief summary (1-2 minutes) of your team’s case. You should include the key issues which you and the Negative team disagreed on during this.
• You can introduce new material but this is interpreted as poor team planning.

Third Negative

• This is the same structure as the Third Affirmative.

There are many variations of the three against three debate, a commonly known one is Points of Information. This is used a lot in  university debates . During a speech the opposition is allowed to ask a question or make a point.

They stand up and say “point of information” or “on that point” etc. The speaker can choose to accept or reject the point. If accepted, the point of information can last around 15 seconds and the speaker can ask for it to stop at any time.

Debate definitions

Younger debaters tend to waste time defining terms so you must first decide whether you need to define a term. Ask yourself: will my speech be confusing if I don’t define this term? Could the opposition misinterpret what I mean without a definition? For example, the motion could be “we should ban plastic straws”. It’s clear what “plastic straws” are but what does “ban” mean?

Two factors which determine the definition of the debate:

1. Context  – what is happening in the area that relates to this issue? For example, maybe the government of a country is debating banning smoking in public buildings and you decide to define the term “passive smoking” during the debate. If a significant event related to the topic has occurred then it should be the focus of the debate, for instance, a shocking report may have recently been revealed in the media showing the widespread effects of second-hand smoking.

2. Spirit of the motion  – topics are chosen for a reason so what sort of debate was imagined when the topic was chosen? Looking at the spirit of the motion will ensure that you pick a definition that will produce a well-balanced and important debate.

If the topic is vague then you will have more choice of definitions. You have a duty to pick a clear definition and one that will create a good debate. If not, this may cause a definitional challenge which will ruin the debate and frustrate the judges.

For example, the topic may be “we spend too much money on the stars”. Stars can refer to celebrities or astronomy so you need to choose a definition.

• Look at the context and see if there has been a recent significant event related to either topics – the media is the best place to look.
• Then apply second test – which definition will lead to the best debate, which will be more interesting and debatable?

If one answer passes both tests then that’s your definition. If they tie then either is a good definition.

When providing your definition explain the context used to form the definition. This is important because your understanding of the context may be different from others due to various factors, such as, religion, culture, gender etc.

Learn more about using  AI to practice your debating skills .

Basic argument structure

There are various ways of dividing up cases according to groups of arguments, such as, social/economic/political etc. You could assign each speaker to handle a group.

Place the most important arguments first, for example, “The media has more influence on self-esteem than anybody else. This is true for three reasons. Firstly (most important argument)… Secondly…, Thirdly (least important argument)…”

To structure an argument follow these steps:

• Claim  – present your argument in a clear statement. This claim is one reason why you’re in favour of/against the motion.
• Evidence  – the evidence supporting your claim, such as, statistics, references, quotes, analogies etc.
• Impact  – explain the significance of the evidence – how does this support your claim?

Arguments are weakest at the evidence stage as it’s easy to argue against, for example, the evidence may consist of isolated examples or there may be counter evidence. But it’s not a good technique because the opposition can provide more evidence or rebut your criticisms.

It’s difficult to rebut claims because they are usually reasonable but if you can attack a claim then that speaker’s whole argument falls apart. So if you think a claim is vulnerable then rebut it but you will need a strong explanation to show why it doesn’t matter.

European  human rights debating  for sixth form students from across London.

There are common flaws you can look for to form a rebuttal:

1. False dichotomy  – this is where the speaker is trying to falsely divide the debate into two sides even though there are more alternatives than they state. It’s likely the speaker is doing this on purpose but in some cases they do not understand the debate.

2. Assertion  – this is when a speaker presents a statement which isn’t actually an argument because there is no reason to believe that the statement is valid. It may just be an assumption. You can point out that there has not been enough examination to prove this validity and then give a reason why the assertion is (probably) not valid.

3. Morally flawed  – arguments can be morally flawed, for example, “All criminals given a prison sentence should be given the death penalty instead, this will save the country money and space.” What has been argued is true but it’s clearly morally flawed.

4. Correlation rather than causation  – a speaker may suggest a link between two events and suggest one led to the other. But the speaker may not explain how one caused the other event which can make an argument invalid.

5. Failure to deliver promises  – sometimes a speaker might fail to complete a task they promised to deliver. For instance, they may state that they will provide evidence supporting a certain claim but they may lose track of what they have said and not actually do this.

6. Straw man  – the opposing team introduces an argument and then rebuts it. They may use an extreme example of your proposal or perhaps they were hoping that you would make this argument.

7. Contradiction  – an argument the other team presents may contradict one of their previous arguments. You must point out that the arguments cannot be true simultaneously and then explain how this reduces their case’s credibility.

8. Compare the conclusion to reality  – think “what would happen if what they (the other team) are suggesting is implemented right now?” This usually shows that it’s more complicated than they have suggested and the changes can cause secondary problems.

Judges generally score the speakers looking at this criteria:

• Content / Matter  – What the debaters say, their arguments and evidence, the relevance of their arguments.
• Style / Manner  – How the debaters speak, including the language and tone used.
• Strategy / Method  – The structure of the speech, the clarity and responding to other’s arguments.

Debating event at  the Oxford Union

Important skills for debating

To meet the judges criteria you will have to develop certain skills, consider the following:

• You points must be relevant to the topic.
• Provide evidence whenever you can and not your personal opinion.
• You must put aside your personal views and remain objective when you debate so your argument remains logical. You can be passionate about a topic but interest can turn into aggression and passion can turn into upset.
• Consider the audience’s attention span – make it interesting, for example, don’t just present lots of complicated statistics.
• Ethos – the ethical appeal
• Pathos – the emotional appeal
• Logos – the logical appeal
• Use notes but keep them brief and well organised. Use a different piece of paper for rebuttals.
• Similar to looking at conclusions to create rebuttals, think comparatively by asking yourself “How does my plan compare to what’s happening now/what would happen in the world if the other team won?” You can win the debate if you can make comparative claims about why your arguments matter more than the other team.
• Only tell jokes if you’re naturally good at it otherwise this can backfire.
• Flexibility is important because you might get allocated the side of the argument you don’t agree with. You’ll have to work hard to overcome your views. Also use this insight to think of the potential arguments you might make and then plan for counter arguments.
• Speak clearly and concisely.
• You must talk fast enough to have the time to deliver your speech but slow enough so you can be understood.
• Project your voice to the back of the room.
• Incorporate dramatic pauses.
• Emphasise important words and vary your tone appropriately.
• Have a relaxed pose and posture.
• Avoid filler words.
• Know your material.
• Emphasise using gestures and avoid nervous gestures.
• Maintain eye contact with the audience.
• Keep your language simple to avoid confusion.
• Refer to the opposite side as: “My opponent”.
• When making a rebuttal say: “My opponent said…, however…”
• Don’t exaggerate – avoid the words “never” or “always” etc.
• Avoid saying that a speaker “is wrong”, instead say that “your idea is mistaken”.

What to avoid

• Falsifying, making up or altering evidence.
• Publicly disagreeing with the judges’ decision.
• Attacking a speaker rather than an idea.
• Acting aggressively or offensively towards debaters, judges, audience etc.
• Interrupting other debaters as this can suggest that your argument isn’t very strong.
• Disagreeing with facts or obvious truths.

British Parliamentary debating

British Parliamentary debating  is a popular form of debating so we will briefly explain it: There are four teams made up of two speakers each. Two teams are on the government’s side and the other two teams are the opposition but all the teams are trying to win rather than one side. The motion is given 15 minutes before the debate begins and teams are assigned to positions randomly. They alternate their speeches, with the government’s side starting. Speeches are usually 5-7 minutes.

The first two speakers on the government side are called the “opening government” and the first two speakers on the opposition’s side are called the “opening opposition”. The last two speakers on the government’s and opposition’s side are called the “closing government” and “closing opposition” correspondingly.

The speakers’ roles in the opening half of the debate are similar to the roles of the first and second speakers in the three against three debate described previously. The only difference is that the second opening government and second opening opposition speakers include summaries at the end of their speeches – this is because they will also be competing with the teams in the closing half of the debate.

The closing government and closing opposition aim to move the debate on but not contradict their side’s opening team. As well as rebuttal, the majority of the third speaker’s time consists of presenting either: new material, new arguments, a new analysis from a different perspective or extending previously presented arguments. This is called an “extension” which must be something that sets their team apart and makes them unique.

The last two speeches of the closing teams are summary speeches – they summarise the debate and disagreements between the team. Their most important goal is to explain why their side has won the debate. They are not allowed to present new arguments but they can present new evidence and rebuttal.

During the speeches points of information are offered regularly. Speakers should only accept a maximum of two points of information. The first and last minute is protected time where points of information cannot be offered.

Rather than a side trying to win, all the teams are trying to win – this allows different perspectives to be explored. The teams are then ranked 1st to 4th in the debate.

Debate topics

Almost anything can be debated, here are some popular topics – these have been written as questions but they can be easily adapted into statements:

• Is animal experimentation justified?
• Should we legalise the possession of cannabis for medicinal use?
• Should we recognise Bitcoin as a legal currency?
• Is torture acceptable when used for national security?
• Should mobile phones be banned until a certain age?
• Does technology make us more lonely?
• Should guns be banned in the U.S.?
• Should we make internet companies liable for illegal content shared on their platforms?
• Will posting students’ grades publicly motivate them to perform better?
• Should animals be used for scientific testing?
• Do violent video games make people more violent?
• Should the death penalty be stopped completely?
• Should smoking in public places be completely banned?
• Should doping be allowed in professional sports?
• Should all zoos be closed?
• Should consumers must take responsibility for the plastic waste crisis?
• Is euthanasia justified?
• Is the boarding school system beneficial to children?

Debate topics for children

If you’re trying to think of debate topics for a classroom, consider the following:

• Should mobile phones be allowed at school?
• Is global warming a problem?
• Should violent video games be banned?
• Is school detention beneficial?
• Are celebrities good role models?
• Does social networking have a beneficial effect on society?
• Are single sex schools more effective than co-ed schools?
• Do celebrities get away with more crime than non-celebrities?
• Is cloning animals ethical?
• Are humans to blame for certain animal extinctions?

Debating societies

If you’re interested in debating consider searching for a society or debating events near you:

• Most universities have a debating society and their webpages usually contain lots of useful information and tips.
• Toastmasters
• Use Meetup to find debates close to you

Specific to the UK:

• Sylvans Debating Club
• The Association of Speakers Clubs

Instant Debate Speech Maker Online

Debates are an excellent opportunity to develop many personal skills, become a more open-minded person, and learn new information. Through this activity, students improve critical thinking, public speaking, teamwork skills, increase their self-esteem, and learn to disagree with others.

Preparing for a debate can take a lot of time, which is why our team has created this tool and guide for you. With our debate speech maker, you no longer have to sit for hours and think about how to formulate your argument correctly! Also, on this page you will learn many useful facts about debates and get tips for preparing for them.

• 📢 Introduction to the Tool

🗣️ What Is a Debate?

👍 debate maker benefits, ✏️ how to write a debate speech, 🔗 references, 📢 debate script maker: an introduction.

If you’ve decided to participate in a debate, you probably know that this activity requires a lot of preparation. Sometimes, you may receive the topic of your debate in advance so that you have time to prepare thoroughly for it. But also, you may be given the subject on the day of the debate, and then you’ll have much less time to prepare. In either case, our debate maker will be an indispensable assistant!

When comparing AI vs human writers, artificial intelligence excels in the speed of content creation, although it loses in creativity. Unlike when using other AI chat bots, you don't have to bother with creating successful prompts. Using this tool is simple - to instantly make a speech, you’ll need to take these four steps:

• Type in the topic of the debate.
• State your position and audience.
• Indicate whether you are replying to an opponent.
• Click “Generate” and get your result!

A debate is a structured and formalized argumentative exchange between two or more opposing sides . While this practice is usually associated with the election season , it can also be often found in schools or colleges. Participants, categorized as either the “pro” or “con” side, systematically present and defend their perspectives on a given topic. They use evidence to back up their claims and. Each side takes turns articulating arguments and responding to their opponent's points.

The primary objective of a debate is persuasion - convincing the opposition and the audience. Although debates often lack a declared winner, they may conclude with a vote or judgment from adjudicators in formal settings. Informal debates can persist until one side concedes.

Debate Terminology Examples for Students

Here, you can become familiar with the basic terms. It’ll be beneficial for you to learn them to make it easier to grasp the debate structure further.

• Adjudicator - An impartial observer who evaluates the debate. Such moderators provide feedback on the quality of arguments and overall performance. Also, they can contribute to determining the winner in formal debates.
• An affirmative - A team or speaker supporting the motion in a debate. Affirmatives present arguments in favor of the proposition. They aim to convince the audience or adjudicators of the motion's validity.
• Motion - The central topic, idea, or statement being debated. The motion frames the discussion and determines the stances of the affirmative and opposition sides. Debaters construct arguments either in support or against this subject.
• Chairperson - The person responsible for moderating and overseeing the debate. Their goal is to maintain order and ensure adherence to the rules. The chairperson may introduce speakers and the motion.
• Card - A card is a paragraph or several paragraphs taken from an authoritative journalistic or scholarly source that proves the validity of a particular argument. It should be a verbatim quotation without additions or paraphrasing. It is important to explain the quote and how it relates to the argument.
• Floor - The general audience or participants who are not actively engaged in the debate but may have the opportunity to pose questions. They can make contributions during designated segments. The floor adds an interactive element to the discussion.
• Opposition/a Negative - A team or speaker taking an opposing stance on the core topic. The opposition presents arguments countering the proposition. Such arguments should demonstrate flaws in the affirmative's position and persuade the audience that the motion is unsupported.
• The first speaker - The initial speaker of a team. They introduce and establish the main arguments supporting or opposing the motion. Their speech should set the tone for the team's position and outline the critical points to be developed by subsequent speakers.
• The second speaker - The second speaker introduces additional evidence and reinforces the team's position. They aim to strengthen their affirmative/opposing case and respond to the arguments from the other team.
• The third speaker - The last speaker should summarize the team's key points. They may also respond to opposition’s reasons raised during the debate. The goal is to leave a lasting impression on the adjudicators before the discussion concludes.
• Reply speeches - Reply speeches are the concluding words from both the affirmative and opposition sides. These speeches are often shorter, not more than three minutes. Such speeches are the last chance to influence the overall impression, so they should strongly support your ideas.

What Does the Maker of the Argument Do in a Debate?

In a debate, the first speaker, whether on the affirmative or opposition side, should:

• Formulate a clear and concise stance on the motion.
• Organize arguments logically, presenting a structured case.
• Support points with relevant facts and examples.
• Convince adjudicators and the audience of the credibility of their position.

The Structure of a Debate

Whether an academic debate or a parliamentary one, the structure and ground rules essentially remain the same.

In this section, we'll briefly explain how your proceedings are going to look like:

• Gathering the sides . At this stage, you should determine the teams and their participants. They are divided into affirmative and negative sides. As a rule, the debates should include three speakers , who will take turns and, at each stage, strengthen their position. All participants should meet 15 minutes before the start to prepare materials .
• Starting the debate . Participants should determine the debate’s time limit, as speeches cannot last nonstop. Usually, each speaker is given a maximum of 3 minutes for their presentation. At the beginning, the speakers should introduce themselves. The duration of the answer is regulated by the timekeeper , who should give a bell 30 seconds before the end of the speaker's time to start summarizing.
• Debating the topic . The core of the debate involves a structured exchange between the sides. The first speaker for the affirmative introduces the motion, presenting key arguments. The opposition's first speaker responds, presenting counterarguments. This pattern continues with subsequent speakers building upon and responding to the points raised. The debate format could also include cross-examination or questioning segments.
• Finishing the debate . Both sides deliver final counter-speeches summarizing key arguments. The adjudicators then assess the overall performance of each side. The persuasiveness of the arguments presented assists in the audience’s decision-making. Participants may engage in discussions and receive feedback . After the debate, each team is given the opportunity to thank everyone in attendance.

As you've probably already realized, getting ready for such a significant event will take a lot of time. You'll need to gather your thoughts, stay level-headed, and be assertive in your stance. This preparation process can be quite overwhelming. That's why our debate script maker is the perfect solution!

This debate writer has many advantages:

• Time-saving . This AI tool will speed up the process of creating a script. You won't have to worry about the structure and arguments.
• Inspirational . Our maker will allow you to explore different points of view, and you may look at your discussion topic from a new angle that will inspire you.
• Free . You can use the debate generator without prepayments and subscription fees. Besides, our tool does not have any limit on the number of requests.
• Online . Finally, thanks to online access, you don't need to download any apps, so that you can use our speech maker anytime from any device.

Our tool is a great way to save time and get that initial burst of inspiration for your debate. However, that is just the beginning. You will still need to edit and finalize this speech. Additionally, you may find it helpful to learn how to write one yourself.

The following steps will show you how to improve your speech and prepare you for your future debates:

• Compelling beginning . The opening of your speech is of the utmost significance. Your task is to captivate the audience and create the overall atmosphere of the speech. We suggest using a hook at the very beginning. It can be a question or a fact intended to capture the attention of your opposition and the audience. You could also use a quote from a famous person, an interesting statistic, a rhetorical question, or even a relevant personal anecdote.
• Presenting your arguments . This is the time to talk about your position on the topic. Be sure to formulate a concise thesis statement . After that, you should provide the arguments that support it. Explain each point clearly to avoid misunderstanding among the audience.
• Explaining the position . Follow a structure where each of your arguments is followed by evidence and then justification. Proof builds credibility and engages the listeners. Ensure that you have data only from relevant and reliable sources.
• Summarizing . In the concluding part of your persuasive speech, you should reiterate your thesis and essential arguments. Emphasize the value of your position. It’s your last opportunity to impress the judge and the listeners. Round it off by offering a provocative question, a recommendation, or talking about your predictions for the future of the subject.
• Confidence and consistency . After writing your speech, you should refine its structure so that you have smooth transitions from one idea to the next. Use connecting words to tie your arguments together. Afterward, practice your speech and make sure it's clear . Your gestures, facial expressions, and intonation are ways to communicate with listeners. Be convincing but not pushy, and use a moderate pace.

We wish you good luck in your debates! And if you need to create a different kind of speech, try our informative speech generator .

Updated: Jan 26th, 2024

• What is a debate? – Vanesa Velkova, European Commission
• How debating works – Law Society of Scotland
• Debating: A Brief Introduction for Beginners – Debating SA Incorporated
• Debate Timing & Structure - Debating Matters
• How do you structure your debate speech to capture the attention and interest of your audience? - LinkedIn

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How to Do Well in Congressional Debate (NSDA)

Last Updated: September 10, 2016

wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, volunteer authors worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has been viewed 18,946 times.

Congressional Debate is one of the several events that make up the NSDA, or National Speech and Debate Association. Congressional Debate is a mock congress with legislation to be debated in a very professional and organized manner. It can be difficult to understand if you've never done the event before, but is easy to get the hang of and can be very enjoyable.

Understanding the Lingo

• P.O, or Presiding Officer , will be the student that runs the chamber. The P.O will be the student that recognizes others for speeches, questions, and motions.
• Representatives and Senators are the students in the chamber, or room, with you. If you are in a house or senate, you will compete with and against representatives or senators, respectively.
• Parliamentarians and Scorers will be the people judging the chamber. The Parliamentarian is in the chamber for the whole competition (typically 4 hours) and will rank, or score, all representatives and senators in the chamber. Scorers are typically in the chamber for one to two hours and typically rank the top eight competitors.

• Previous Question   - to bring the debate to an end, moves to vote on legislation.
• Recess - to take a brief break
• Point of Personal Privilege - to allow you to leave the room, move, etc.
• Suspend the Rules - to do anything not traditionally allowed
• Set an Agenda - this is what will be debated

• Docket and Legislation are the packet of topics you will debate. The packet is called a 'docket' and each individual topic is called 'legislation'.
• The Agenda is the order which you will debate legislation. You won't debate the legislation in the order it is in the docket; rather, you will set an agenda with other students to be debated in that order.
• An Amendment is any change to the agenda or legislation.
• Authorship or Sponsorship is the first speech on legislation. This speech opens debate and discusses the criteria, purpose, and importance of the legislation.
• Precedence and Recency determine who speaks next. Precedence is how many speeches a person has given, recency refers to simply how recent the speech was. This is kept by the P.O and is called speaker order. It is recommended that other members of the chamber keep track of this as well.
• Cross Examination is the short period after a speech during which the chamber, or floor, can question the speaker.

In the Chamber

Writing Speeches

Qualifying for Nationals

Community Q&A

• Don't be afraid to speak in front of the chamber. Everybody had to give their first speech and everybody can recall at least one speech that didn't go nearly as well as they expected. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0
• Write speeches on all of the legislation. You might not get to speak over the legislation you actually want to speak over, but you should be prepared to speak over the next legislation so that you don't miss out speaking for a full hour. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0
• Be friendly to everybody. If you're unfriendly, then others will remember this and be less likely to help you later. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 0

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Building a Strong Reply

The job of a reply is to frame, and crystalize the debate to show how you have won. A mistake that some debaters make, is to just say what has happened in the round. It is true that in replies you should be summarizing the debate, but the most important part of that summary is showing how you have won. 

As a judge, it is difficult to determine who has won if a debater presents you every argument in order and summarizes them. It is much clearer when a reply speaker organizes the round by questions or themes. A “reply question”, is ideally a main idea from the debate that you can use to frame the major arguments on both sides.

Examples of questions/themes

What gets the best outcome for society? Is forced change, or natural change better? Theme by actor: individuals, society, women, judges, etc.  Theme by concept: security, rights Should we focus on long term or short term impacts

Steps to building your reply questions

• Go over your notes from the speeches. This should include what you and your partner have both said, what your opponents said, what you said in response… so on and so forth. 
• Find patterns in what was said, or similar themes that were discussed over and over. These ideas should ideally be the most important ideas in the debate. You can often turn these key ideas into the themes of your debate.
• Prioritization! Now that you have themes, you need to sort the material from the round into them. If it has been a really good debate, there should be too much material for you to cover it all in 3 or 4 minutes. This means that you must choose what to talk about. In a debate round, your time is limited with what you can, and should discuss in your replies. A judge never wants to see an exact re-hashing of the entire round again, because it gets boring for them. Remember that the judge was there for the debate, so although it is good to remind them of what happened and what was said, there are some things that are more crucial to discuss than others. 

How to tell what to include in your reply

I should include it if….

• It was consistently brought up in the round and both sides have had to refute it and rebuild it. If an idea has been discussed multiple times, it is good to clarify how the point developed, what the responses were, and why you won. 
• It has the largest impacts in the round. If it is something that has really serious consequences (positive or negative), then it is worth discussing. This is because it is probably an important point. If the argument truly has the largest impacts in the round and you won the point, you chances of wining the round significantly increase.
• The big arguments on both sides, which should be roughly 3 points. (Pick the more difficult and important ones to spend the most time on). 
• Critical contradictions or assumption. These are important ideas to discuss because they could potentially undermine critical material. You need to both discuss your opponents’ contradictions and assumptions, but if they have also accused you of the same thing, you need to clarify why it is not true (so they cannot undermine your arguments in the same way). 

I shouldn’t bring up

• Silly contradictions. If at one point your opponents said 55%, and then they said 54%, it doesn’t make a serious difference in the round. Judges will get easily annoyed if you and the other team argue about one percentage point.
• Insignificant points. If there is a side point that was made that doesn’t fit under the questions, wasn’t discussed, and isn’t a contradiction or assumption, then at best it can be mentioned briefly, but if you’re short for time you can cut it out. 
• Examples that were discussed too much during the round. Sometimes an example will get argued about constantly, and won’t get the debate anywhere interesting. In a reply it is valuable to let those things go, and not focus on them unless it will decide the debate (which it shouldn’t).

If you’ve mastered this part of the prioritization, the next part is prioritizing things that will make you win. This is a critical piece to winning close rounds. There are two different strategies you can use for your prioritization:

The area you are winning on.

• Find the most important issue to the debate that you and your side are winning on. 
• Re-frame the debate around that main issue. (You can do this by making it a big question, or by placing all of the other side’s material under it). Strategically you do this because then it appears as if you have beat them on all of those other issues you frame it under, even if you haven’t. 
• Explain how you have won that issue, and why that means you have won the debate. 

The area you are losing.

• Find the area you are losing on to your opponents. This will likely be what they focus on in their reply.
• Compare that issue, against the one you are winning on. This is called comparative.
• Then, explain why even if they win the one issue, yours is more important.

This strategy is more difficult and advanced, but it is also more potentially rewarding. 

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READ: Harris-Trump presidential debate transcript

Harris and Trump are meeting for the first time on the debate stage.

Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump met for their first debate of the 2024 election Tuesday night, hosted by ABC News.

MORE: Trump-Harris debate live updates: Stage set for pivotal showdown in tight presidential race

The debate took place in Philadelphia at the National Constitution Center, moderated by "World News Tonight" anchor and managing editor David Muir and ABC News Live "Prime" anchor Linsey Davis.

Below is a partial transcript of the exchange between Trump and Harris while the debate was ongoing.

DAVID MUIR: Tonight, the high-stakes showdown here in Philadelphia between Vice President Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump. Their first face-to-face meeting in this presidential election. Their first face-to-face meeting ever.

LINSEY DAVIS: A historic race for president upended just weeks ago. President Biden withdrawing after his last debate. Donald Trump is now up against a new opponent.

DAVID MUIR: The candidates separated by the smallest of margins. Essentially tied in the polls nationally. And in the key battlegrounds, including right here in Pennsylvania, all still very much in play. The ABC News Presidential Debate starts right now.

DAVID MUIR: Good evening, I'm David Muir. And thank you for joining us for tonight's ABC News Presidential Debate. We want to welcome viewers watching on ABC and around the world tonight. Vice President Kamala Harris and President Donald Trump are just moments away from taking the stage in this unprecedented race for president.

LINSEY DAVIS: And I'm Linsey Davis. Tonight's meeting could be the most consequential event of their campaigns, with Election Day now less than two months away. For Vice President Kamala Harris, this is her first debate since President Biden withdrew from the race on July 21st. Of course, that decision followed his debate against President Donald Trump in June. Since then, this race has taken on an entirely new dynamic.

DAVID MUIR: And that brings us to the rules of tonight's debate: 90 minutes with two commercial breaks. No topics or questions have been shared with the campaigns. The candidates will have two minutes to answer questions. And this is the clock. That's what they'll be seeing. Two minutes for rebuttals and one minute for follow-ups, clarifications or responses. Their microphones will only be turned on when it's their turn to speak. No prewritten notes allowed. There is no audience here tonight in this hall at the National Constitution Center. This is an intimate setting for two candidates who have never met.

LINSEY DAVIS: President Trump won the coin toss. He chose to deliver the final closing statement of the evening. Vice President Harris selected the podium to the right.

DAVID MUIR: So let's now welcome the candidates to the stage. Vice President Kamala Harris and President Donald Trump.

VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Kamala Harris. Let's have a good debate.

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Nice to see you. Have fun.

VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Thank you.

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Thank you.

DAVID MUIR: Welcome to you both. It's wonderful to have you. It's an honor to have you both here tonight.

LINSEY DAVIS: Good evening, we are looking forward to a spirited and thoughtful debate.

DAVID MUIR: So let's get started. I want to begin tonight with the issue voters repeatedly say is their number one issue, and that is the economy and the cost of living in this country. Vice President Harris, you and President Trump were elected four years ago and your opponent on the stage here tonight often asks his supporters, are you better off than you were four years ago? When it comes to the economy, do you believe Americans are better off than they were four years ago?

VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: So, I was raised as a middle-class kid. And I am actually the only person on this stage who has a plan that is about lifting up the middle class and working people of America. I believe in the ambition, the aspirations, the dreams of the American people. And that is why I imagine and have actually a plan to build what I call an opportunity economy. Because here's the thing. We know that we have a shortage of homes and housing, and the cost of housing is too expensive for far too many people. We know that young families need support to raise their children. And I intend on extending a tax cut for those families of $6,000, which is the largest child tax credit that we have given in a long time. So that those young families can afford to buy a crib, buy a car seat, buy clothes for their children. My passion, one of them, is small businesses. I was actually -- my mother raised my sister and me but there was a woman who helped raise us. We call her our second mother. She was a small business owner. I love our small businesses. My plan is to give a $50,000 tax deduction to start-up small businesses, knowing they are part of the backbone of America's economy. My opponent, on the other hand, his plan is to do what he has done before, which is to provide a tax cut for billionaires and big corporations, which will result in $5 trillion to America's deficit. My opponent has a plan that I call the Trump sales tax, which would be a 20% tax on everyday goods that you rely on to get through the month. Economists have said that Trump's sales tax would actually result for middle-class families in about $4,000 more a year because of his policies and his ideas about what should be the backs of middle-class people paying for tax cuts for billionaires.

DAVID MUIR: President Trump, I'll give you two minutes.

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: First of all, I have no sales tax. That's an incorrect statement. She knows that. We're doing tariffs on other countries. Other countries are going to finally, after 75 years, pay us back for all that we've done for the world. And the tariff will be substantial in some cases. I took in billions and billions of dollars, as you know, from China. In fact, they never took the tariff off because it was so much money, they can't. It would totally destroy everything that they've set out to do. They've taken in billions of dollars from China and other places. They've left the tariffs on. When I had it, I had tariffs and yet I had no inflation. Look, we've had a terrible economy because inflation has -- which is really known as a country buster. It breaks up countries. We have inflation like very few people have ever seen before. Probably the worst in our nation's history. We were at 21%. But that's being generous because many things are 50, 60, 70, and 80% higher than they were just a few years ago. This has been a disaster for people, for the middle class, but for every class. On top of that, we have millions of people pouring into our country from prisons and jails, from mental institutions and insane asylums. And they're coming in and they're taking jobs that are occupied right now by African Americans and Hispanics and also unions. Unions are going to be affected very soon. And you see what's happening. You see what's happening with towns throughout the United States. You look at Springfield, Ohio. You look at Aurora in Colorado. They are taking over the towns. They're taking over buildings. They're going in violently. These are the people that she and Biden let into our country. And they're destroying our country. They're dangerous. They're at the highest level of criminality. And we have to get them out. We have to get them out fast. I created one of the greatest economies in the history of our country. I'll do it again and even better.

DAVID MUIR: We are going to get to immigration and border security during this debate. But I would like to let Vice President Harris respond on the economy here.

VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Well, I would love to. Let's talk about what Donald Trump left us. Donald Trump left us the worst unemployment since the Great Depression. Donald Trump left us the worst public health epidemic in a century. Donald Trump left us the worst attack on our democracy since the Civil War. And what we have done is clean up Donald Trump's mess. What we have done and what I intend to do is build on what we know are the aspirations and the hopes of the American people. But I'm going to tell you all, in this debate tonight, you're going to hear from the same old, tired playbook, a bunch of lies, grievances and name-calling. What you're going to hear tonight is a detailed and dangerous plan called Project 2025 that the former president intends on implementing if he were elected again. I believe very strongly that the American people want a president who understands the importance of bringing us together knowing we have so much more in common than what separates us. And I pledge to you to be a president for all Americans.

DAVID MUIR: President Trump, I'll give you a minute here to respond.

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Number one, I have nothing to do, 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. 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. I have nothing to do -- everybody knows I'm an open book. Everybody knows what I'm going to do. Cut taxes very substantially. And create a great economy like I did before. We had the greatest economy. We got hit with a pandemic. And the pandemic was, not since 1917 where 100 million people died has there been anything like it? We did a phenomenal job with the pandemic. We handed them over a country where the economy and where the stock market was higher than it was before the pandemic came in. Nobody's ever seen anything like it. We made ventilators for the entire world. We got gowns. We got masks. We did things that nobody thought possible. And people give me credit for rebuilding the military. They give me credit for a lot of things. But not enough credit for the great job we did with the pandemic. But the only jobs they got were bounce-back jobs. These were jobs, bounce back. And it bounced back and it went to their benefit. But I was the one that created them. They know it and so does everybody else.

DAVID MUIR: Vice President Harris, I'll let you respond.

VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: So, Donald Trump has no plan for you. And when you look at his economic plan, it's all about tax breaks for the richest people. I am offering what I describe as an opportunity economy, and the best economists in our country, if not the world, have reviewed our relative plans for the future of America. What Goldman Sachs has said is that Donald Trump's plan would make the economy worse. Mine would strengthen the economy. What the Wharton School has said is Donald Trump's plan would actually explode the deficit. Sixteen Nobel laureates have described his economic plan as something that would increase inflation and by the middle of next year would invite a recession. You just have to look at where we are and where we stand on the issues. And I'd invite you to know that Donald Trump actually has no plan for you, because he is more interested in defending himself than he is in looking out for you.

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: That's just a sound bite. They gave her that to say. Look, I went to the Wharton School of Finance and many of those professors, the top professors, think my plan is a brilliant plan, it's a great plan. It's a plan that's going to bring up our worth, our value as a country. It's going to make people want to be able to go and work and create jobs and create a lot of good, solid money for our -- for our country. And just to finish off, 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.

DAVID MUIR: Mr. President, I do want to drill down on something you both brought up. The vice president brought up your tariffs you responded and let's drill down on this because your plan is what she calls is a essentially a national sales tax. Your proposal calls for tariffs as you pointed out here, on foreign imports across the board. You recently said that you might double your plan, imposing tariffs up to 20% on good coming into this country. As you know many economists say that with tariffs at that level costs are then passed onto the consumer. Vice President Harris has argued it'll mean higher prices on gas, food, clothing medication arguing it costs the typical family nearly four thousand dollars a year. Do you believe Americans can afford higher prices because of tariffs.

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: They aren't gonna have higher prices what's gonna have and who's gonna have higher prices is China and all of the countries that have been ripping us off for years. I charge, I was the only president ever China was paying us hundreds of billions of dollars and so were other countries and you know if she doesn't like 'em they should have gone out and they should have immediately cut the tariffs but those tariffs are there three and a half years now under their administration. We are gonna take in billions of dollars, hundreds of billions of dollars. I had no inflation, virtually no inflation, they had the highest inflation, perhaps in the history of our country because I've never seen a worse period of time. People can't go out and buy cereal bacon or eggs or anything else. These the people of our country are absolutely dying with what they've done. They've destroyed the economy and all you have to do it look at a poll. The polls say 80 and 85 and even 90% that the Trump economy was great that their economy was terrible.

DAVID MUIR: Vice President Harris I do want to ask for your response and you heard what the president said there because the Biden administration did keep a number of the Trump tariffs in place so how do you respond?

VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Well, let's be clear that the Trump administration resulted in a trade deficit, one of the highest we've ever seen in the history of America. He invited trade wars, you wanna talk about his deal with China what he ended up doing is under Donald Trump's presidency he ended up selling American chips to China to help them improve and modernize their military basically sold us out when a policy about China should be in making sure the United States of America wins the competition for the 21st century. Which means focusing on the details of what that requires, focusing on relationships with our allies, focusing on investing in American based technology so that we win the race on A.I. and quantum computing, focusing on what we need to do to support America's workforce, so that we don't end up having the on the short end of the stick in terms of workers' rights. But what Donald Trump did let's talk about this with COVID, is he actually thanked President XI for what he did during COVID. Look at his tweet. "Thank you, President XI," exclamation point. When we know that XI was responsible for lacking and not giving us transparency about the origins of COVID.

DAVID MUIR: President Trump, I'll let you respond.

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: First of all, they bought their chips from Taiwan. We hardly make chips anymore because of philosophies like they have and policies like they have. I don't say her because she has no policy. Everything that she believed three years ago and four years ago is out the window. She's going to my philosophy now. In fact, I was going to send her a MAGA hat. She's gone to my philosophy. But if she ever got elected, she'd change it. And it will be the end of our country. She's a Marxist. Everybody knows she's a Marxist. Her father's a Marxist professor in economics. And he taught her well. But when you look at what she's done to our country and when you look at these millions and millions of people that are pouring into our country monthly where it's I believe 21 million people, not the 15 that people say, and I think it's a lot higher than the 21. That's bigger than New York state. Pouring in. And just look at what they're doing to our country. They're criminals. Many of these people coming in are criminals. And that's bad for our economy too. You mentioned before, we'll talk about immigration later.

Well, bad immigration is the worst thing that can happen to our economy. They have and she has destroyed our country with policy that's insane. Almost policy that you'd say they have to hate our country.

DAVID MUIR: President Trump, thank you. Linsey?

LINSEY DAVIS: I want to turn to the issue of abortion. President Trump, you've often touted that you were able to kill Roe v. Wade. Last year, you said that you were proud to be the most pro-life president in American history. Then last month you said that your administration would be great for women and their reproductive rights. In your home state of Florida, you surprised many with regard to your six-week abortion ban because you initially had said that it was too short and you said, "I'm going to be voting that we need more than six weeks." But then the very next day, you reversed course and said you would vote to support the six-week ban. Vice President Harris says that women shouldn't trust you on the issue of abortion because you've changed your position so many times. Therefore, why should they trust you?

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Well, the reason I'm doing that vote is because the plan is, as you know, the vote is, they have abortion in the ninth month. They even have, and you can look at the governor of West Virginia, the previous governor of West Virginia, not the current governor, who's doing an excellent job, but the governor before. He said the baby will be born and we will decide what to do with the baby. In other words, we'll execute the baby.

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: And that's why I did that, because that predominates. Because they're radical. The Democrats are radical in that. And her vice presidential pick, which I think was a horrible pick, by the way for our country, because he is really out of it. But her vice presidential pick says abortion in the ninth month is absolutely fine. He also says execution after birth, it's execution, no longer abortion, because the baby is born, is okay. And that's not okay with me. Hence the vote. But what I did is something for 52 years they've been trying to get Roe v. Wade into the states.

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: And through the genius and heart and strength of six supreme court justices we were able to do that. Now, I believe in the exceptions for rape, incest and life of the mother. I believe strongly in it. Ronald Reagan did also. 85% of Republicans do. Exceptions. Very important. But we were able to get it. And now states are voting on it. And for the first time you're going to see -- look, this is an issue that's torn our country apart for 52 years. Every legal scholar, every Democrat, every Republican, liberal, conservative, they all wanted this issue to be brought back to the states where the people could vote. And that's what happened, happened. Now, Ohio, the vote was somewhat liberal. Kansas the vote was somewhat liberal. Much more liberal than people would have thought. But each individual state is voting. It's the vote of the people now. It's not tied up in the federal government. I did a great service in doing it. It took courage to do it. And the supreme court had great courage in doing it. And I give tremendous credit to those six justices.

LINSEY DAVIS: There is no state in this country where it is legal to kill a baby after it's born. Madam vice president, I want to get your response to President Trump.

VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Well, as I said, you're going to hear a bunch of lies. And that's not actually a surprising fact. Let's understand how we got here. Donald Trump hand-selected three members of the United States Supreme Court with the intention that they would undo the protections of Roe v. Wade. And they did exactly as he intended. And 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. A survivor of a crime, a violation to their body, does not have the right to make a decision about what happens to their body next. 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.

VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: I have talked with women around our country. You want to talk about this is what people wanted? Pregnant women who want to carry a pregnancy to term suffering from a miscarriage, being denied care in an emergency room because the health care providers are afraid they might go to jail and she's bleeding out in a car in the parking lot? She didn't want that. Her husband didn't want that. A 12 or 13-year-old survivor of incest being forced to carry a pregnancy to term? They don't want that. And I pledge to you when Congress passes a bill to put back in place the protections of Roe v. Wade as president of the United States, I will proudly sign it into law. But understand, if Donald Trump were to be re-elected, he will sign a national abortion ban. Understand in his Project 2025 there would be a national abortion ban. Understand in his Project 2025 there would be a national abortion -- a monitor that would be monitoring your pregnancies, your miscarriages. I think the American people believe that certain freedoms, in particular the freedom to make decisions about one's own body, should not be made by the government.

LINSEY DAVIS: Thank you, Vice President Harris.

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Well, there she goes again. It's a lie. I'm not signing a ban. And there's no reason to sign a ban. Because we've gotten what everybody wanted. Democrats, Republicans and everybody else and every legal scholar wanted it to be brought back into the states. And the states are voting. And it may take a little time, but for 52 years this issue has torn our country apart. And they've wanted it back in the states. And I did something that nobody thought was possible. The states are now voting. What she says is an absolute lie. And as far as the abortion ban, no, I'm not in favor of abortion ban. But it doesn't matter because this issue has now been taken over by the states.

LINSEY DAVIS: Would you veto a national abortion ban if it came to --

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Well, I won't have to because again -- two things. Number one, she said she'll go back to congress. She'll never get the vote. It's impossible for her to get the vote. Especially now with a 50-50 --essentially 50-50 in both senate and the house. She's not going to get the vote. She can't get the vote. She won't even come close to it. So it's just talk. You know what it reminds me of? When they said they're going to get student loans terminated and it ended up being a total catastrophe. The student loans -- and then her I think probably her boss, if you call him a boss, he spends all his time on the beach, but look, her boss went out and said we'll do it again, we'll do it a different way. He went out, got rejected again by the supreme court. So all these students got taunted with this whole thing about -- this whole idea. And how unfair that would have been. Part of the reason they lost. To the millions and millions of people that had to pay off their student loans. They didn't get it for free. But they were saying -- it's the same way that they talked about that, that they talk about abortion.

LINSEY DAVIS: But if I could just get a yes or no. Because your running mate JD Vance has said that you would veto if it did come to your desk.

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Well, I didn't discuss it with JD In all fairness. JD -- And I don't mind if he has a certain view but I think he was speaking for me but I really didn't. Look, we don't have to discuss it because she'd never be able to get it just like she couldn't get student loans. They couldn't get -- they didn't even come close to getting student loans. They didn't even come close to getting student loans. They taunted young people and a lot of other people that had loans. They can never get this approved. So it doesn't matter what she says about going to congress. Wonderful. Let's go to congress. Do it. But the fact is that for years they wanted to get it out of congress and out of the federal government and we did something that everybody said couldn't be done. And now you have a vote of the people on abortion.

LINSEY DAVIS: Vice President Harris, I want to give you your time to respond. But I do want to ask, would you support any restrictions on a woman's right to an abortion?

VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: I absolutely support reinstating the protections of Roe v. Wade. And as you rightly mentioned, nowhere in America is a woman carrying a pregnancy to term and asking for an abortion. That is not happening. It's insulting to the women of America. And understand what has been happening under Donald Trump's abortion bans. Couples who pray and dream of having a family are being denied IVF treatments. What is happening in our country, working people, working women who are working one or two jobs, who can barely afford childcare as it is, have to travel to another state to get on a plane sitting next to strangers, to go and get the health care she needs. Barely can afford to do it. And what you are putting her through is unconscionable. And the people of America have not -- the majority of Americans believe in a woman's right to make decisions about her own body. And that is why in every state where this issue has been on the ballot, in red and blue states both, the people of America have voted for freedom.

LINSEY DAVIS: Vice president Harris --

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Excuse me, I have to respond. Another lie. It's another lie. I have been a leader on IVF which is fertilization. The IVF -- I have been a leader. In fact, when they got a very negative decision on IVF from the Alabama courts, I saw the people of Alabama and the legislature two days later voted it in. I've been a leader on it. They know that and everybody else knows it. I have been a leader on fertilization, IVF. And the other thing, they -- you should ask, will she allow abortion in the eighth month, ninth month, seventh month?

VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Come on.

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Would you do that? Why don't you ask her that question --

VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Why don't you answer the question would you veto –

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: That's the problem. Because under Roe v. Wade.

VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Answer the question, would you veto--

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: You could do abortions in the seventh month, the eighth month, the ninth month -

VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: That's not true.

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: And probably after birth. Just look at the governor, former governor of Virginia. The governor of Virginia said we put the baby aside and then we determine what we want to do with the baby.

LINSEY DAVIS: President Trump, thank you.

DAVID MUIR: We're going to turn now to immigration and border security. We know it's an issue that's important to Republicans, Democrats, voters across the board in this country. Vice President Harris, you were tasked by President Biden with getting to the root causes of migration from Central America. We know that illegal border crossings reached a record high in the Biden administration. This past June, President Biden imposed tough new asylum restrictions. We know the numbers since then have dropped significantly. But my question to you tonight is why did the administration wait until six months before the election to act and would you have done anything differently from President Biden on this?

VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: So I'm the only person on this stage who has prosecuted transnational criminal organizations for the trafficking of guns, drugs, and human beings. And let me say that the United States Congress, including some of the most conservative members of the United States Senate, came up with a border security bill which I supported. And that bill would have put 1,500 more border agents on the border to help those folks who are working there right now over time trying to do their job. It would have allowed us to stem the flow of fentanyl coming into the United States. I know there are so many families watching tonight who have been personally affected by the surge of fentanyl in our country. That bill would have put more resources to allow us to prosecute transnational criminal organizations for trafficking in guns, drugs and human beings. But you know what happened to that bill? Donald Trump got on the phone, called up some folks in Congress, and said kill the bill. And you know why? Because he preferred to run on a problem instead of fixing a problem. And understand, this comes at a time where the people of our country actually need a leader who engages in solutions, who actually addresses the problems at hand. But what we have in the former president is someone who would prefer to run on a problem instead of fixing a problem. And I'll tell you something, he's going to talk about immigration a lot tonight even when it's not the subject that is being raised. And I'm going to actually do something really unusual and I'm going to invite you to attend one of Donald Trump's rallies because it's a really interesting thing to watch. You will see during the course of his rallies he talks about fictional characters like Hannibal Lecter. He will talk about windmills cause cancer. And what you will also notice is that people start leaving his rallies early out of exhaustion and boredom. And I will tell you the one thing you will not hear him talk about is you. You will not hear him talk about your needs, your dreams, and your, your desires. And I'll tell you, I believe you deserve a president who actually puts you first. And I pledge to you that I will.

DAVID MUIR: Vice President Harris, thank you. President Trump, on that point I want to get your response.

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Well, I would like to respond.

DAVID MUIR: Let me just ask, though, why did you try to kill that bill and successfully so? That would have put thousands of additional agents and officers on the border.

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: First let me respond as to the rallies. She said people start leaving. People don't go to her rallies. There's no reason to go. And the people that do go, she's busing them in and paying them to be there. And then showing them in a different light. So, she can't talk about that. People don't leave my rallies. We have the biggest rallies, the most incredible rallies in the history of politics. That's because people want to take their country back. Our country is being lost. We're a failing nation. And it happened three and a half years ago. And what, what's going on here, you're going to end up in World War 3, just to go into another subject. What they have done to our country by allowing these millions and millions of people to come into our country. And look at what's happening to the towns all over the United States. And a lot of towns don't want to talk -- not going to be Aurora or Springfield. A lot of towns don't want to talk about it because they're so embarrassed by it. In Springfield, they're eating the dogs. The people that came in. They're eating the cats. They're eating -- 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. As far as rallies are concerned, as far -- the reason they go is they like what I say. They want to bring our country back. They want to make America great again. It's a very simple phrase. Make America great again. She's destroying this country. And if she becomes president, this country doesn't have a chance of success. Not only success. We'll end up being Venezuela on steroids.

DAVID MUIR: I just want to clarify here, you bring up Springfield, Ohio. And ABC News did reach out to the city manager there. 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 --

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Well, I've seen people on television

DAVID MUIR: Let me just say here this ...

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: The people on television say my dog was taken and used for food. So maybe he said that and maybe that's a good thing to say for a city manager.

DAVID MUIR: I'm not taking this from television. I'm taking it from the city manager.

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: But the people on television say their dog was eaten by the people that went there.

DAVID MUIR: Again, the Springfield city manager says there's no evidence of that.

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: We'll find out

DAVID MUIR: Vice President Harris, I'll let you respond to the rest of what you heard.

VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Talk about extreme. Um, you know, this is I think one of the reasons why in this election I actually have the endorsement of 200 Republicans who have formally worked with President Bush, Mitt Romney, and John McCain including the endorsement of former Vice President Dick Cheney and Congressmember Liz Cheney. And if you want to really know the inside track on who the former president is, if he didn't make it clear already, just ask people who have worked with him. His former chief of staff, a four-star general, has said he has contempt for the constitution of the United States. His former national security adviser has said he is dangerous and unfit. His former secretary of defense has said the nation, the republic would never survive another Trump term. And when we listen to this kind of rhetoric, when the issues that affect the American people are not being addressed, I think the choice is clear in this election.

DAVID MUIR: President Trump, I'll give you a quick minute to respond.

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Yeah. Thank you. Because when I hear that -- see, I'm a different kind of a person. I fired most of those people. Not so graciously. They did bad things or a bad job. I fired them. They never fired one person. They didn't fire anybody having to do with Afghanistan and the Taliban and the 13 people whose, whose, were just killed viciously and violently killed and I got to know the parents and the family. They should have fired all those generals, all those top people because that was one of the most incompetently handled situations anybody has ever seen. So when somebody does a bad job I fire them. And you take a guy like Esper. He was no good, I fired him. So he writes a book. Another one writes a book. Because with me they can write books. With nobody else can they. But they have done such a poor job. And they never fire anybody. Look at the economy. Look at the inflation. They didn't fire any of their economists. They have the same people. That's a good way not to have books written about you. But just to finish, I got more votes than any Republican in history by far. In fact, I got more votes than any president, sitting president in history by far.

DAVID MUIR: Let me continue on immigration. It was what you wanted to talk about earlier. So let's get back to your deportation proposal that the vice president has reacted to as well. President Trump, you called this the largest domestic deportation operation in the history of our country. You say you would use the National Guard. You say if things get out of control you'd have no problem using the U.S. military.

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: With local police.

DAVID MUIR: You also said you would use local police. How would you deport 11 million undocumented immigrants? I know you believe that number is much higher. Take us through this. What does this look like? Will authorities be going door to door in this country?

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Yeah. It is much higher because of them. They allowed criminals. Many, many, millions of criminals. They allowed terrorists. They allowed common street criminals. They allowed people to come in, drug dealers, to come into our country, and they're 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? You know why? Because they've taken their criminals off the street and they've given them to her to put into our country. And this will be one of the greatest mistakes in history for them to allow -- and I think they probably did it because they think they're going to get votes. But it's not worth it. Because they're destroying the fabric of our country by what they've done. There's never been anything done like this at all. They've destroyed the fabric of our country. Millions of people let in. And all over the world crime is down. All over the world except here. 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.

DAVID MUIR: President Trump, as you know, the FBI says overall violent crime is coming down in this country, but Vice President the...

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: use me, the FBI -- they were defrauding statements. 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.

DAVID MUIR: President Trump, thank you. I'll let you respond, Vice President Harris.

VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: 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 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. 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. But frankly, the American people are exhausted with the same old tired playbook.

DAVID MUIR: Vice President Harris, thank you.

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Excuse me. Every one of those cases was started by them against their political opponent. And I'm winning most of them and I'll win the rest on appeal. And you saw that with the decision that came down just recently from the Supreme Court. I'm winning most of them. But those are cases, it's called weaponization. Never happened in this country. They weaponized the justice department. Every one of those cases was involved with the DOJ, from Atlanta and Fani Willis -- to the attorney general of New York and the D.A. In New York. Every one of those cases. And then they say oh, he was -- he's a criminal. They're the ones that made them go after me. By the way, Joe Biden was found essentially guilty on the documents case. And what happened in my documents case? They said oh, that's the toughest of them all. A complete and total victory. Two months ago it was thrown out. It's weaponization. And they used it. And it's never happened in this country. They used it to try and win an election. They're fake cases.

DAVID MUIR: President Trump, thank you. A really quick response here, Vice President Harris, on this notion of weaponization of the justice department.

VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Well let's talk about extreme. And understand the context in which this election in 2024 is taking place. The United States Supreme Court recently ruled that the former president would essentially be immune from any misconduct if he were to enter the white house again. Understand, this is someone who has openly said he would terminate, I'm quoting, terminate the constitution of the United States. That he would weaponize the Department of Justice against his political enemies. Someone who has openly expressed disdain for members of our military. Understand what it would mean if Donald Trump were back in the white house with no guardrails. Because certainly, we know now the court won't stop him. We know JD Vance is not going to stop him. It's up to the American people to stop him.

DAVID MUIR: Vice President Harris, thank you. Linsey?

LINDSEY DAVIS: Vice President Harris, in your last run for president...

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: This is the one that weaponized. Not me. She weaponized. I probably took a bullet to the head because of the things that they say about me. 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.

DAVID MUIR: We have a lot to get to. Linsey?

LINSEY DAVIS: Vice President Harris, in your last run for president you said you wanted to ban fracking. Now you don't. You wanted mandatory government buyback programs for assault weapons. Now your campaign says you don't. You supported decriminalizing border crossings. Now you're taking a harder line. I know you say that your values have not changed. So then why have so many of your policy positions changed?

VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: So my values have not changed. And I'm going to discuss every one -- at least every point that you've made. But in particular, let's talk about fracking because we're here in Pennsylvania. I made that very clear in 2020. I will not ban fracking. I have not banned fracking as Vice President of the United States. And, in fact, I was the tie-breaking vote on the Inflation Reduction Act, which opened new leases for fracking. My position is that we have got to invest in diverse sources of energy so we reduce our reliance on foreign oil. We have had the largest increase in domestic oil production in history because of an approach that recognizes that we cannot over rely on foreign oil. As it relates to my values, let me tell you, I grew up a middle-class kid raised by a hard-working mother who worked and saved and was able to buy our first home when I was a teenager. The values I bring to the importance of home ownership knowing not everybody got handed $400 million on a silver platter and then filed bankruptcy six times, is a value that I bring to my work to say we are going to work with the private sector and home builders to increase 3 million homes, increase by 3 million homes by the end of my first term. My work that is related to having a friend when I was in high school who was sexually assaulted by her stepfather. And my focus then, on protecting women and children from violent crime, is based on a value that is deeply grounded in the importance of standing up for those who are most vulnerable. My work that is about protecting social security and Medicare is based on long-standing work that I have done. Protecting seniors from scams. My values have not changed. And what is important is that there is a president who actually brings values and a perspective that is about lifting people up and not beating people down and name-calling. The true measure of the leader is the leader who actually understands that strength is not in beating people down, it's in lifting people up. I intend to be that president.

LINSEY DAVIS: President Trump, your response.

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Well, first of all, I wasn't given $400 million. I wish I was. My father was a Brooklyn builder. Brooklyn, Queens. And a great father and I learned a lot from him. But I was given a fraction of that, a tiny fraction, and I built it into many, many billions of dollars. Many, many billions. And when people see it, they are even surprised. So, we don't have to talk about that. Fracking? She's been against it for 12 years. Uh, 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, okay? 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.

VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: That's not true. [mouthed, not audible]

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: In Minnesota, she went out -- wait a minute. I'm talking now. If you don't mind. Please. Does that sound familiar?

VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Don't lie. [lie is audible]

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: She went out -- 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. She wants to confiscate your guns and she will never allow fracking in Pennsylvania. If she won the election, fracking in Pennsylvania will end on day one. Just to finish one thing, so important in my opinion, so, I got the oil business going like nobody has ever done before. They took, when they took over, they got rid of it, started getting rid of it, and the prices were going up the roof. They immediately let these guys go to where they were. I would have been five times, four times, five times higher because you're talking about 3 1/2 years ago. They got it up to where I was because they had no choice. Because the prices of energy were quadrupling and doubling. You saw what happened to gasoline. So, they said let's go back to Trump. But if she won the election, the day after that election, they'll go back to destroying our country and oil will be dead, fossil fuel will be dead. We'll go back to windmills and we'll go back to solar, where they need a whole desert to get some energy to come out. You ever see a solar plant? By the way, I'm a big fan of solar. But they take 400, 500 acres of desert soil--

LINSEY DAVIS: President Trump--

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: These are not good things for the environment that she understands.

LINSEY DAVIS: President Trump, we have a lot of issues that we have to get to. We're out of time. Thank you.

DAVID MUIR: Linsey, thank you. We have an election in just 56 days. I want to talk about the peaceful transfer of power, which of course we all know was a cornerstone of our democracy and the role of a president in a moment of crisis. Mr. President, on January 6th you told your supporters to march to the Capitol. You said you would be right there with them. The country and the world saw what played out at the Capitol that day. The officers coming under attack. Aides in the West Wing say you watched it unfold on television off the Oval Office. You did send out tweets, but it was more than two hours before you sent out that video message telling your supporters to go home. Is there anything you regret about what you did on that day?

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: You just said a thing that isn't covered. Peacefully and patriotically, I said during my speech. Not later on. Peacefully and patriotically. And nobody on the other side was killed. Ashli Babbitt was shot by an out-of-control police officer that should have never, ever shot her. It's a disgrace. But we didn't do -- this group of people that have been treated so badly. I ask, what about all the people that are pouring into our country and killing people? That she allowed to pour in. She was the border czar. Remember that. She was the border czar. She doesn't want to be called the border czar because she's embarrassed by the border. In fact, she said at the beginning, I'm surprised you're not talking about the border yet. That's because she knows what a bad job they've done. What about those people? What's, when are they going to be prosecuted -- when are these people from countries all over the world, not just South America, they're coming in from all over the world, David, all over the world. And crime rates are down all over the world because of it --

DAVID MUIR: But let me just ask you--

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: But when are those, David, when are those people going to be prosecuted? When are the people that burned down Minneapolis going to be prosecuted or in Seattle? They went into Seattle, they took over a big percentage of the city of Seattle. When are those people going to be prosecuted?

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: You might ask her that question.

DAVID MUIR: You were the president. You were watching it unfold on television. It's a very simple question as we move forward toward another election. Is there anything you regret about what you did on that day? Yes or no.

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I had nothing to do with that other than they asked me to make a speech. I showed up for a speech. I said, I think it's going to be big. I went to Nancy Pelosi and the mayor of Washington, D.C. And the mayor put it back in writing, as you know. I said, you know, this is going to be a very big rally or whatever you want to call it. And again, it wasn't done by me. It was done by others. I said I'd like to give you 10,000 National Guard or soldiers. They rejected me. Nancy Pelosi rejected me. It was just two weeks ago, her daughter has a tape of her saying she is fully responsible for what happened. They want to get rid of that tape. It would have never happened if Nancy Pelosi and the mayor of Washington did their jobs. I wasn't responsible for security. Nancy Pelosi was responsible. She didn't do her job.

DAVID MUIR: The question was about you as president, not about Former Speaker Pelosi. But I do want Vice President Harris to respond here.

VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: I was at the Capitol on January 6th. I was the Vice President-Elect. I was also an acting senator. I was there. And on that day, the president of the United States incited a violent mob to attack our nation's Capitol, to desecrate our nation's Capitol. On that day, 140 law enforcement officers were injured. And some died. And understand, the former president has been indicted and impeached for exactly that reason. But this is not an isolated situation. Let's remember Charlottesville, where there was a mob of people carrying tiki torches, spewing antisemitic hate, and what did the president then at the time say? There were fine people on each side. Let's remember that when it came to the Proud Boys, a militia, the president said, the former president said, "Stand back and stand by." So for everyone watching who remembers what January 6th was, I say we don't have to go back. Let's not go back. We're not going back. It's time to turn the page. And if that was a bridge too far for you, well, there is a place in our campaign for you. To stand for country. To stand for our democracy. To stand for rule of law. And to end the chaos. And to end the approach that is about attacking the foundations of our democracy 'cause you don't like the outcome. And be clear on that point. Donald Trump the candidate has said in this election there will be a bloodbath, if this -- and the outcome of this election is not to his liking. Let's turn the page on this. Let's not go back. Let's chart a course for the future and not go backwards to the past.

DAVID MUIR: Let me just follow up here--

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I have said blood bash, bath. It was a different term, and it was a term that related to energy, because they have destroyed our energy business. That was where bloodbath was. Also, on Charlottesville, that story has been as you would say, debunked. Laura Ingraham, Sean Hannity, Jesse -- all of these people, they covered it. If they go an extra sentence, they will see it was perfect. It was debunked in almost every newspaper. But they still bring it up just like they bring 2025 up. They bring all of this stuff up. I ask you this. You talk about the Capitol. Why are we allowing these millions of people to come through on the southern border? How come she's not doing -- and I'll tell you what I would do. And I would be very proud to do it. I would say we would both leave this debate right now, I'd like to see her go down to Washington, D.C. during this debate 'cause we're wasting a lot of time. Go down to -- because she's been so bad, it's so ridiculous. Go down to Washington, D.C. And let her sign a bill to close up the border. Because they have the right to do it. They don't need bills. They have the right to do it. The President of the United States, you'll get him out of bed. You'll wake him up at 4:00 in the afternoon, you'll say come on. Come on down to the office, let's sign a bill. If he ... if he signs a bill that the border is closed, all he has to do is say it to the border patrol, who are phenomenal. If they do that, the border is closed.

DAVID MUIR: Mr. President --

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Those people are killing many people, unlike J-6.

DAVID MUIR: We talked immigration here tonight. I do want to focus on this next issue to both of you. Because it really brings us, this into focus. Truth in these times that we're living in. Mr. President, for 3 and a half years after you lost the 2020 election you repeatedly falsely claimed that you won, many times saying you won in a landslide. In the past couple of weeks leading up to this debate, you have said, quote, you lost by a whisker, that you, quote, didn't quite make it, that you came up a little bit short.

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I said that?

DAVID MUIR: Are you now acknowledging that you lost in 2020?

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: No, I don't acknowledge that at all.

DAVID MUIR: But you did say that.

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I said that sarcastically. You know that. It was said, oh we lost by a whisker. That was said sarcastically. Look, there's so much proof. All you have to do is look at it. And they should have sent it back to the legislatures for approval. I got almost 75 million votes. The most votes any sitting president has ever gotten. I was told if I got 63, which was what I got in 2016, you can't be beaten. The election, people should never be thinking about an election as fraudulent. We need two things. We need walls. We need -- and we have to have it. We have to have borders. And we have to have good elections.

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Our elections are bad. And a lot of these illegal immigrants coming in, they're trying to get them to vote. They can't even speak English. They don't even know what country they're in practically. And these people are trying to get them to vote. And that's why they're allowing them to come into our country.

DAVID MUIR: I did watch all of these pieces of video. I didn't detect the sarcasm, lost by a whisker, we didn't quite make it, and we should just point out as clarification, and you know this, you and your allies, 60 cases in front of many judges. Many of them --

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: No judge looked at it.

DAVID MUIR: And said there was no widespread fraud.

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: They said we didn't have standing. That's the other thing. They said we didn't have standing. A technicality. Can you imagine a system where a person in an election doesn't have standing, the President of the United States doesn't have standing? That's how we lost. If you look at the facts, and I'd love to have you -- you'll do a special on it. I'll show you Georgia and I'll show you Wisconsin and I'll show you Pennsylvania and I'll show you -- we have so many facts and statistics. But you know what? That doesn't matter. Because we have to solve the problem that we have right now. That's old news. And the problem that we have right now is we have a nation in decline and they have put it into decline. We have a nation that is dying, David.

DAVID MUIR: Mr. President, thank you. Vice President Harris, you heard the president there tonight. He said he didn't say that he lost by a whisker. So he still believes he did not lose the election. That was won by President Biden and yourself. But I do want to ask you about something that's come up in the last couple of days. This was a post from President Trump about this upcoming election just weeks away. He said, "When I win, those people who cheated," and then he lists donors, voters, election officials, he says "Will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, which will include long-term prison sentences." One of your campaign's top lawyers responded saying, "We won't let Donald Trump intimidate us. We won't let him suppress the vote." Is that what you believe he's trying to do here?

VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Donald Trump was fired by 81 million people. So, let's be clear about that. And clearly, he is having a very difficult time processing that. But we cannot afford to have a president of the United States who attempts as he did in the past to upend the will of the voters in a free and fair election. And I'm going to tell you that I have traveled the world as vice president of the United States. And world leaders are laughing at Donald Trump. I have talked with military leaders, some of whom worked with you. And they say you're a disgrace. And when you then talk in this way in a presidential debate and deny what over and over again are court cases you have lost, because you did in fact lose that election, it leads one to believe that perhaps we do not have in the candidate to my right the temperament or the ability to not be confused about fact. That's deeply troubling. And the American people deserve better.

DAVID MUIR: I'll give you one minute to respond, Mr. President.

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Let me just tell you about world leaders. Viktor Orban, one of the most respected men -- they call him a strong man. He's a tough person. Smart. Prime Minister of Hungary. They said why is the whole world blowing up? Three years ago it wasn't. Why is it blowing up? He said because you need Trump back as president. They were afraid of him. China was afraid. And I don't like to use the word afraid but I'm just quoting him. China was afraid of him. North Korea was afraid of him. Look at what's going on with North Korea, by the way. He said Russia was afraid of him. I ended the Nord Stream 2 pipeline and Biden put it back on day one but he ended the XL pipeline. The XL pipeline in our country. He ended that. But he let the Russians build a pipeline going all over Europe and heading into Germany. The biggest pipeline in the world. Look, Viktor Orban said it. He said the most respected, most feared person is Donald Trump. We had no problems when Trump was president. But when this weak pathetic man that you saw at a debate just a few months ago that if he weren't in that debate he'd be running instead of her, she got no votes, he got 14 million votes, what you did, you talk about a threat to democracy. He got 14 million votes and they threw him out of office. And you know what? I'll give you a little secret. He hates her. He can't stand her.

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: But he had 14 million votes. They threw them out. She got zero votes. And when she ran, she was the first one to leave because she failed. And now she's running. I don't understand it but I'm okay with it – because I think we're going to do pretty well.

DAVID MUIR: Mr. President, your time is up. We've got a lot more to get to.

LINSEY DAVIS: Turning now to the Israel-Hamas war and the hostages who are still being held, Americans among them. Vice President Harris, in December you said, "Israel has a right to defend itself" but you added, "It matters how." Saying international humanitarian law must be respected, Israel must do more to protect innocent civilians. You said that nine months ago. Now an estimated 40,000 Palestinians are dead. Nearly 100 hostages remain. Just last week Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there's not a deal in the making. President Biden has not been able to break through the stalemate. How would you do it?

VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Well, let's understand how we got here. On Oct. 7, Hamas, a terrorist organization, slaughtered 1,200 Israelis. Many of them young people who were simply attending a concert. Women were horribly raped. And so absolutely, I said then, I say now, Israel has a right to defend itself. We would. And how it does so matters. Because it is also true far too many innocent Palestinians have been killed. Children, mothers. What we know is that this war must end. It must when, end immediately, and the way it will end is we need a cease-fire deal and we need the hostages out. And so we will continue to work around the clock on that. Work around the clock also understanding that we must chart a course for a two-state solution. And in that solution, there must be security for the Israeli people and Israel and in equal measure for the Palestinians. But the one thing I will assure you always, I will always give Israel the ability to defend itself, in particular as it relates to Iran and any threat that Iran and its proxies pose to Israel. But we must have a two-state solution where we can rebuild Gaza, where the Palestinians have security, self-determination and the dignity they so rightly deserve.

LINSEY DAVIS: President Trump, how would you negotiate with Netanyahu and also Hamas in order to get the hostages out and prevent the killing of more innocent civilians in Gaza?

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: If I were president it would have never started. If I were president Russia would have never, ever -- I know Putin very well. He would have never -- and there was no threat of it either, by the way, for four years. Have gone into Ukraine and killed millions of people when you add it up. Far worse than people understand what's going on over there. But when she mentions about Israel all of a sudden -- she hates Israel. She wouldn't even meet with Netanyahu when he went to Congress to make a very important speech. She refused to be there because she was at a sorority party of hers. She wanted to go to the sorority party. She hates Israel. If she's president, I believe that Israel will not exist within two years from now. And I've been pretty good at predictions. And I hope I'm wrong about that one. She hates Israel. At the same time in her own way she hates the Arab population because the whole place is going to get blown up, Arabs, Jewish people, Israel. Israel will be gone. It would have never happened. Iran was broke under Donald Trump. Now Iran has $300 billion because they took off all the sanctions that I had. Iran had no money for Hamas or Hezbollah or any of the 28 different spheres of terror. And they are spheres of terror. Horrible terror. They had no money. It was a big story, and you know it. You covered it. Very well, actually. They had no money for terror. They were broke. Now they're a rich nation. And now what they're doing is spreading that money around. Look at what's happening with the Houthis and Yemen. Look at what's going on in the Middle East. This would have never happened. I will get that settled and fast. And I'll get the war with Ukraine and Russia ended. If I'm President-Elect, I'll get it done before even becoming president.

LINSEY DAVIS: Vice President Harris, he says you hate Israel.

VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: That's absolutely not true. I have my entire career and life supported Israel and the Israeli people. He knows that. He's trying to again divide and distract from the reality, which is it is very well known that Donald Trump is weak and wrong on national security and foreign policy. It is well known that he admires dictators, wants to be a dictator on day one according to himself. It is well known that he said of Putin that he can do whatever the hell he wants and go into Ukraine. It is well known when that he said when Russia went into Ukraine it was brilliant. It is well known he exchanged love letters with Kim Jong un. And it is absolutely well known that these dictators and autocrats are rooting for you to be president again because they're so clear, they can manipulate you with flattery and favors. And that is why so many military leaders who you have worked with have told me you are a disgrace. That is why we understand that we have to have a president who is not consistently weak and wrong on national security including the importance of upholding and respecting in highest regard our military.

LINSEY DAVIS: Vice President Harris, thank you.

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: They're the ones -- and she's the one that caused it, that's weak on national security by allowing every nation last month for the year, 168 different countries sending people into our country. Their crime rates are way down. Putin endorsed her last week. Said I hope she wins. And I think he meant it. Because what he's gotten away with is absolutely incredible. It wouldn't have happened with me. The leaders of other countries think that they're weak and incompetent. And they are. They're grossly incompetent. And I just ask one question. Why does Biden go in and kill the Keystone pipeline and approve the single biggest deal that Russia's ever made, Nordstream 2, the biggest pipeline anywhere in the world going to Germany and all over Europe? Because they're weak and they're ineffective. And Biden, by the way --

LINSEY DAVIS: President Trump...

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Gets paid a lot of money --

LINSEY DAVIS: Thank you. We have a lot of issues to get to.

DAVID MUIR: We'll be right back with much more of this historic ABC News presidential debate from the National Constitution Center right here in Philadelphia. Back in a moment.

DAVID MUIR: And I want to turn to the war in Ukraine. We're now 2 1/2 years into this conflict. Mr. President, it has been the position of the Biden administration that we must defend Ukraine from Russia, from Vladimir Putin, to defend their sovereignty, their democracy, that it's in America's best interest to do so, arguing that if Putin wins he may be emboldened to move even further into other countries. You have said you would solve this war in 24 hours. You said so just before the break tonight. How exactly would you do that? And I want to ask you a very simple question tonight. Do you want Ukraine to win this war?

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I want the war to stop. I want to save lives that are being uselessly -- people being 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. They're in for $150 billion less because Biden and you don't have the courage to ask Europe like I did with NATO. They paid billions and billions, hundreds of billions of dollars when I said either you pay up or we're not going to protect you anymore. So that may be one of the reasons they don't like me as much as they like weak people. But you take a look at what's happening. We're in for 250 to 275 billion. They're into 100 to 150. They should be forced to equalize. With that being said, I want to get the war settled. I know Zelenskyy very well and I know Putin very well. I have a good relationship. And they respect your president. Okay? They respect me. They don't respect Biden. 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. That is a war that's dying to be settled. I will get it settled before I even become president. If I win, when I'm President-Elect, and what I'll do is I'll speak to one, I'll speak to the other, I'll get them together. 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 after I left, I said oh, he must be negotiating. It must be a good strong point of negotiation. Well, it wasn't because Biden had no idea how to talk to him. He had no idea how to stop it. And now you have millions of people dead and it's only getting worse and it could lead to World War 3. Don't kid yourself, David. We're playing with World War 3. And we have a president that we don't even know if he's -- where is our president? We don't even know if he's a president.

DAVID MUIR: And just to clarify here.

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: They threw him out of a campaign like a dog. We don't even know, is he our president? But we have a president...

DAVID MUIR: Mr. President,

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: ...that doesn't know he's alive.

DAVID MUIR: Your time is up. Just to clarify the question, do you believe it's in the U.S. best interests for Ukraine to win this war? Yes or no?

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I think it's in the U.S. best interest to get this war finished and just get it done. All right. Negotiate a deal. Because we have to stop all of these human lives from being destroyed.

DAVID MUIR: I want to take this to Vice President Harris. I want to get your thoughts on support for Ukraine in this moment. But also as commander in chief if elected how would you deal with Vladimir Putin and would it be any different from what we're seeing from President Biden?

VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Well, first of all, it's important to remind the former president you're not running against Joe Biden, you're running against me. I believe the reason that Donald Trump says that this war would be over within 24 hours is because he would just give it up. And that's not who we are as Americans. Let's understand what happened here. I actually met with Zelenskyy a few days before Russia invaded, tried through force to change territorial boundaries to defy one of the most important international rules and norms, which is the importance of sovereignty and territorial integrity. And I met with President Zelenskyy. I shared with him American intelligence about how he could defend himself. Days later I went to NATO's eastern flank, to Poland and Romania. And through the work that I and others did we brought 50 countries together to support Ukraine in its righteous defense. And because of our support, because of the air defense, the ammunition, the artillery, the javelins, the Abrams tanks that we have provided, Ukraine stands as an independent and free country. If Donald Trump were president, Putin would be sitting in Kyiv right now. And understand what that would mean. Because Putin's agenda is not just about Ukraine. Understand why the European allies and our NATO allies are so thankful that you are no longer president and that we understand the importance of the greatest military alliance the world has ever known, which is NATO. And what we have done to preserve the ability of Zelenskyy and the Ukrainians to fight for their Independence. Otherwise, Putin would be sitting in Kyiv with his eyes on the rest of Europe. Starting with Poland. And why don't you tell the 800,000 Polish Americans right here in Pennsylvania how quickly you would give up for the sake of favor and what you think is a friendship with what is known to be a dictator who would eat you for lunch.

DAVID MUIR: Vice President Harris Thank you. We heard from both of you on Ukraine tonight. Afghanistan came up in the last hour -- I wanted her to respond to something you said earlier.

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I have to respond.

DAVID MUIR: Please I'll give you a minute here.

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Putin would be sitting in Moscow and he wouldn't have lost 300,000 men and women. But he would have been sitting in Moscow

VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: (inaudible)

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Quiet, please. He would have been sitting in Moscow much happier than he is right now. But eventually, you know, he's got a thing that other people don't have. He's got nuclear weapons. They don't ever talk about that. He's got nuclear weapons. Nobody ever thinks about that. And eventually uh maybe he'll use them. Maybe he hasn't been that threatening. But he does have that. Something we don't even like to talk about. Nobody likes to talk about it. But just so you understand, they sent her to negotiate peace before this war started. Three days later he went in and he started the war because everything they said was weak and stupid. They said the wrong things. That war should have never started. She was the emissary. They sent her in to negotiate with Zelenskyy and Putin. And she did and the war started three days later.

DAVID MUIR: Vice president...

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: And that's the kind of talent we have with her. She's worse than Biden. In my opinion, I think he's the worst president in the history of our country. She goes down as the worst vice president in the history of our country. But let me tell you something. She is a horrible negotiator. They sent her in to negotiate. As soon as they left Putin did the invasion.

DAVID MUIR: President Trump, thank you. You did bring up something, you said she went to negotiate with Vladimir Putin. Vice President Harris, have you ever met Vladimir Putin, can you clarify tonight?

VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Yet again, I said it at the beginning of this debate, you're going to hear a bunch of lies coming from this fella. And that is another one. When I went to meet with President Zelenskyy, I've now met with him over five times. The reality is, it has been about standing as America always should, as a leader upholding international rules and norms. As a leader who shows strength, understanding that the alliances we have around the world are dependent on our ability to look out for our friends and not favor our enemies because you adore strongmen instead of caring about democracy. And that is very much what is at stake here. The President of the United States is commander-in-chief. And the American people have a right to rely on a president who understands the significance of America's role and responsibility in terms of ensuring that there is stability and ensuring we stand up for our principles and not sell them for the benefit of personal flattery.

DAVID MUIR: We've talked about Ukraine and Vladimir Putin. I do want to talk about Afghanistan. It came up in the first hour of this debate.

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: David, one thing.

DAVID MUIR: I want to move on to Afghanistan.

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Secretary General Stoltenberg said Trump did the most amazing thing I've ever seen, he got these countries, the 28 countries at the time, to pay up. He said I've never seen -- he's the head of NATO. He said I've never seen -- for years we were paying almost all of NATO. We were being ripped off by European nations both on trade and on NATO. I got them to pay up by saying one of the statements you made before, if you don't pay we're not going to protect you.

DAVID MUIR: President Trump--

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Otherwise we would've never gotten it. He said it was one of the most incredible jobs that he's ever seen done.

DAVID MUIR: Thank you. I want to turn to Afghanistan. We witnessed a poignant moment today on Capitol Hill honoring the soldiers who died in the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan. I do want to ask the vice president, do you believe you bear any responsibility in the way that withdrawal played out?

VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Well, I will tell you, I agreed with President Biden's decision to pull out of Afghanistan. Four presidents said they would, and Joe Biden did. And as a result, America's taxpayers are not paying the $300 million a day we were paying for that endless war. And as of today, there is not one member of the United States military who is in active duty in a combat zone in any war zone around the world, the first time this century. But let's understand how we got to where we are. Donald Trump when he was president negotiated one of the weakest deals you can imagine. He calls himself a dealmaker. Even his national security adviser said it was a weak, terrible deal. And here's how it went down. He bypassed the Afghan government. He negotiated directly with a terrorist organization called the Taliban. The negotiation involved the Taliban getting 5,000 terrorists, Taliban terrorists released.

VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: And get this -- no, get this. And the president at the time invited the Taliban to Camp David. A place of storied significance for us as Americans, a place where we honor the importance of American diplomacy, where we invite and receive respected world leaders. And this former president as president invited them to Camp David because he does not again appreciate the role and responsibility of the President of the United States to be commander in chief with a level of respect. And this gets back to the point of how he has consistently disparaged and demeaned members of our military, fallen soldiers, and the work that we must do to uphold the strength and the respect of the United States of America around the world.

DAVID MUIR: Vice President Harris, thank you. President Trump, your response to her saying that you began the negotiations with the Taliban.

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Yeah, thank you. So if you take a look at that period of time, the Taliban was killing our soldiers, a lot of them, with snipers. And I got involved with the Taliban because the Taliban was doing the killing. That's the fighting force within Afghanistan. They don't bother doing that because you know, they deal with the wrong people all the time. But I got involved. And Abdul is the head of the Taliban. He is still the head of the Taliban. And I told Abdul don't do it anymore, you do it anymore you're going to have problems. And he said why do you send me a picture of my house? I said you're going to have to figure that out, Abdul. And for 18 months we had nobody killed. We did have an agreement negotiated by Mike Pompeo. It was a very good agreement. The reason it was good, it was -- we were getting out. We would have been out faster than them, but we wouldn't have lost the soldiers. We wouldn't have left many Americans behind. And we wouldn't have left -- we wouldn't have left $85 billion worth of brand new beautiful military equipment behind. And just to finish, they blew it. The agreement said you have to do this, this, this, this, this, and they didn't do it. They didn't do it. The agreement was, was terminated by us because they didn't do what they were supposed to do.

DAVID MUIR: I want to move on.

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: And these people did the worst withdrawal and in my opinion the most embarrassing moment in the history of our country. And by the way, that's why Russia attacked Ukraine. Because they saw how incompetent she and her boss are.

DAVID MUIR: President Trump, thank you. I want to move on now to race and politics in this country. Mr. President, you recently said of Vice President Harris, "I didn't know she was Black until a number of years ago when she happened to turn Black, and now she wants to be known as Black." I want to ask a bigger-picture question here tonight. Why do you believe it's appropriate to weigh in on the racial identity of your opponent?

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I don't. And I don't care. I don't care what she is. I don't care. You make a big deal out of something. I couldn't care less. Whatever she wants to be is okay with me.

DAVID MUIR: But those were your words. So, I'm asking --

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I don't know. I don't know. All I can say is I read where she was not Black, that she put out. And, I'll say that. And then I read that she was black. And that's okay. Either one was okay with me. That's up to her. That's up to her.

DAVID MUIR: Vice President Harris, your thoughts on this?

VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: I think it's – I mean honestly, I think it's a tragedy that we have someone who wants to be president who has consistently over the course of his career attempted to use race to divide the American people. You know, I do believe that the vast majority of us know that we have so much more in common than what separates us. And we don't want this kind of approach that is just constantly trying to divide us, and especially by race. And let's remember how Donald Trump started. He was a, a, a—land, he owned land, he owned buildings, and he was investigated because he refused to rent property to Black families. Let's remember, this is the same individual who took out a full-page ad in The New York Times calling for the execution of five young Black and Latino boys who were innocent, the Central Park Five. Took out a full-page ad calling for their execution. This is the same individual who spread birther lies about the first Black President of the United States. And I think the American people want better than that. Want better than this. Want someone who understands as I do, I travel our country, we see in each other a friend. We see in each other a neighbor. We don't want a leader who is constantly trying to have Americans point their fingers at each other. I meet with people all the time who tell me "Can we please just have discourse about how we're going to invest in the aspirations and the ambitions and the dreams of the American people?" Knowing that regardless of people's color or the language their grandmother speaks we all have the same dreams and aspirations and want a president who invests in those, not in hate and division.

DAVID MUIR: Vice President Harris thank you. Linsey?

LINSEY DAVIS: President Trump, this is now your third time --

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: This is the most divisive presidency in the history of our country. There's never been anything like it. They're destroying our country. And they come up with things like what she just said going back many, many years when a lot of people including Mayor Bloomberg agreed with me on the Central Park Five. They admitted -- they said, they pled guilty. And I said, well, if they pled guilty they badly hurt a person, killed a person ultimately. And if they pled guilty -- then they pled we're not guilty. But this is a person that has to stretch back years, 40, 50 years ago because there's nothing now. I built one of the greatest economies in the history of the world and I'm going to build it again. It's going to be bigger, better and stronger. But they're destroying our economy. They have no idea what a good economy is. Their oil policies -- every single policy -- and remember this. She is Biden. She's trying to get away from Biden. I don't know the gentleman, she says. She is Biden. The worst inflation we've ever had. A horrible economy because inflation has made it so bad and she can't get away with that.

DAVID MUIR: Mr. President, thank you, your time is up. Linsey --

VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: I want to respond to that, though. I want to just respond briefly. Clearly, I am not Joe Biden, and I am certainly not Donald Trump. And what I do offer is a new generation of leadership for our country. One who believes in what is possible, one who brings a sense of optimism about what we can do instead of always disparaging the American people. I believe in what we can do to strengthen our small businesses, which is why I have a plan. Let's talk about our plans. And, and let's compare the plans. I have a plan to give startup businesses $50,000 tax deduction, to pursue their ambitions, their innovation, their ideas, their hard work. I have a plan. $6,000 for young families for the first year of your child's life. To help you in that most critical stage of your child's development. I have a plan that is about allowing people to be able to pursue what has been fleeting in terms of the American dream by offering help with down payment of $25,000, down payment assistance for first-time home buyers. That's the kind of conversation I believe, David, that people really want tonight as opposed to a conversation that is constantly about belittling and name-calling. Let's turn the page and move forward.

LINSEY DAVIS: We have to move on. President trump --

PRESIDENT TRUMP: She is destroying our country. She has a plan to defund the police. She has a plan to confiscate everybody's gun. She has a plan to not allow fracking in Pennsylvania or anywhere else. That's what her plan is until just recently.

LINSEY DAVIS: President Trump, President Trump.

VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS: The former president has said something twice and I need to respond too. I just need to respond one time to what he has said multiple times.

LINSEY DAVIS: I'm sorry, we're going to move on, Vice President Harris. This is now your third time running for president. you have long vowed to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. You have failed to accomplish that. You now say you're going to keep Obamacare. Quote, unless we can do something much better. Last month you said, quote, we're working on it. So tonight, nine years after you first started running, do you have a plan and can you tell us what it is?

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Obamacare was lousy health care. Always was. It's not very good today. And what I said, that if we come up with something, we are working on things, we're going to do it and we're going to replace it. But remember this. I inherited Obamacare because Democrats wouldn't change it. They wouldn't vote for it. They were unanimous. They wouldn't vote to change it. If they would have done that, we would have had a much better plan than Obamacare. But the Democrats came up, they wouldn't vote for it. I had a choice to make when I was president, do I save it and make it as good as it can be? Never going to be great. Or do I let it rot? And I felt I had an obligation, even though politically it would have been good to just let it rot and let it go away. I decided -- and I told my people, the top people, and they're very good people -- I have a lot of good people in this -- that administration. We read about the bad ones. We had some real bad ones too. And so do they. They have really bad ones. The difference is they don't get rid of them. But let me just explain. I had a choice to make do I save it and make it as good as it can be or let it rot? And I saved it. I did the right thing. But it's still never going to be great. And it's too expensive for people. And what we will do is we're looking at different plans. If we can come up with a plan that's going to cost our people, our population less money and be better health care than Obamacare, then I would absolutely do it. But until then I'd run it as good as it can be run.

LINSEY DAVIS: So just a yes or no, you still do not have a plan?

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I have concepts of a plan. I'm not president right now. But if we come up with something I would only change it if we come up with something better and less expensive. And there are concepts and options we have to do that. And you'll be hearing about it in the not-too-distant future.

LINSEY DAVIS: Vice President Harris, in 2017 you supported Bernie Sanders' proposal to do away with private insurance and create a government-run health care system. Two years later you proposed a plan that included a private insurance option. What is your plan today?

VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Well, first of all, I absolutely support and over the last four years as vice president private health care options. But what we need to do is maintain and grow the Affordable Care Act. But I, I'll get to that, linsey. I just need to respond to a previous point that the former president has made. I've made very clear my position on fracking. And then this business about taking everyone's guns away. 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. As it relates to the Affordable Care Act, understand, just look at the history to know where people stand. When Donald Trump was president, 60 times he tried to get rid of the Affordable Care Act. 60 times. I was a senator at the time. When, I will never forget the early morning hours when it was up for a vote in the United States Senate and the late great John McCain, who you have disparaged as being – uh, you don't like him, you said at the time because he got caught, he was an American hero. The late great John McCain, I will never forget that night. Walked onto the Senate floor and said no, you don't. No, you don't. No, you don't get rid of the Affordable Care Act. You have no plan. And what the Affordable Care Act has done is eliminate the ability of insurance companies to deny people with pre-existing conditions. I don't have to tell the people watching tonight, you remember what that was like? Remember when an insurance company could deny if a child had asthma, if someone was a breast cancer survivor, if a grandparent had diabetes? And thankfully, as I've been vice president and we over the last four years have strengthened the Affordable Care Act, we have allowed for the first time Medicare to negotiate drug prices on behalf of you the American people. Donald Trump said he was going to allow Medicare to negotiate dr, drug prices. He never did. We did. And now we have capped the cost of insulin at $35 a month. Since I've been vice president we have capped the cost of prescription medication for seniors at $2,000 a year. And when I am president we will do that for all people understanding that the value I bring to this is that access to health care should be a right and not just a privilege of those who can afford it. And the plan has to be to strengthen the Affordable Care Act, not get rid of it, (in audible) in terms of where Donald Trump stands on that.

LINSEY DAVIS: I want to move to an issue that's important --

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: She made a mistake. Number one, John McCain fought Obamacare for ten years. But it wasn't only him. It was, All of the Democrats that kept it going. And you know what? We could do much better than Obamacare. Much less money. But she won't improve private insurance for people. Private, medical insurance. That's another thing she doesn't want

LINSEY DAVIS: President Trump.

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: People are paying privately for insurance that have worked hard and made money and they want to have private. She wants everybody to be on government insurance where you wait six months for an operation that you need immediately.

LINSEY DAVIS: President Trump, thank you. We have another issue that we'd like to get to that's important for a number of Americans, in particular younger voters, and that's climate change. President Trump, with regard to the environment, you say that we have to have clean air and clean water. Vice President Harris, you call climate change an existential threat. The question to you both tonight is what would you do to fight climate change? And Vice President Harris, we'll start with you. One minute for you each.

VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Well, the former president had said that climate change is a hoax. And what we know is that it is very real. You ask anyone who lives in a state who has experienced these extreme weather occurrences who now is either being denied home insurance or is being jacked up. You ask anybody who has been the victim of what that means in terms of losing their home, having nowhere to go. We know that we can actually deal with this issue. The young people of America care deeply about this issue. And I am proud that as vice president over the last four years, we have invested a trillion dollars in a clean energy economy while we have also increased domestic gas production to historic levels. We have created over 800,000 new manufacturing jobs while I have been vice president. We have invested in clean energy to the point that we are opening up factories around the world. Donald Trump said he was going to create manufacturing jobs. He lost manufacturing jobs. And I'm also proud to have the endorsement of the United Auto Workers and Shawn Fain, who also know that part of building a clean energy economy includes investing in American-made products, American automobiles. It includes growing what we can do around American manufacturing and opening up auto plants, not closing them like what happened under Donald Trump.

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: That didn't happen under Donald Trump. Let me just tell you, they lost 10,000 manufacturing jobs this last month. It's going -- they're all leaving. They're building big auto plants in Mexico. In many cases owned by China. They're building these massive plants, and they think they're going to sell their cars into the United States because of these people. What they have given to China is unbelievable. But we're not going to let that. We'll put tariffs on those cars so they can't come into our country. Because they will kill the United Auto Workers and any auto worker, whether it's in Detroit or South Carolina or any other place. What they've done to business and manufacturing in this country is horrible. We have nothing because they refuse -- you know, Biden doesn't go after people because supposedly China paid him millions of dollars. He's afraid to do it. Between him and his son. They get all this money from Ukraine. They get all this money from all of these different countries. And then you wonder why is he so loyal to this one, that one Ukraine, China? Why is he? Why did he get 3 1/2 million dollars from the mayor of Moscow's wife? Why did he get -- why did she pay him 3 1/2 million dollars? This is a crooked administration, and they're selling our country down the tubes.

DAVID MUIR: We'll be right back with closing statements from both of our candidates. A historic night, this ABC News Presidential Debate from Philadelphia. Back in a moment.

DAVID MUIR: The time has come for closing statements. And Vice President Harris, we begin with you.

VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: So I think you've heard tonight two very different visions for our country. One that is focused on the future and the other that is focused on the past. And an attempt to take us backward. But we're not going back. And I do believe that the American people know we all have so much more in common than what separates us and we can chart a new way forward. And a vision of that includes having a plan, understanding the aspirations, the dreams, the hopes, the ambition of the American people, which is why I intend to create an opportunity economy, investing in small businesses, in new families, in what we can do around protecting seniors, what we can do that is about giving hard-working folks a break in bringing down the cost of living. I believe in what we can do together that is about sustaining America's standing in the world and ensuring we have the respect that we so rightly deserve including respecting our military and ensuring we have the most lethal fighting force in the world. I will be a president that will protect our fundamental rights and freedoms including the right of a woman to make decisions about her own body and not have her government tell her what to do. I'll tell you, I started my career as a prosecutor. I was a D.A. I was an attorney general. A United States senator. And now vice president. I've only had one client. The people. And I'll tell you, as a prosecutor I never asked a victim or a witness are you a Republican or a Democrat. The only thing I ever asked them, are you okay? And that's the kind of president we need right now. Someone who cares about you and is not putting themselves first. I intend to be a president for all Americans and focus on what we can do over the next 10 and 20 years to build back up our country by investing right now in you the American people.

LINSEY DAVIS: Vice President Harris, thank you. President Trump?

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: So, she just started by saying she's going to do this, she's going to do that, she's going to do all these wonderful things. Why hasn't she done it? She's been there for 3 1/2 years. They've had 3 1/2 years to fix the border. They've had 3 1/2 years to create jobs and all the things we talked about. Why hasn't she done it? She should leave right now, go down to that beautiful white house, go to the capitol, get everyone together and do the things you want to do. But you haven't done it. And you won't do it. Because you believe in things that the American people don't believe in. You believe in things like we're not going to frack. We're not going to take fossil fuel. We're not going to do, things that are going to make this country strong, whether you like it or not. Germany tried that and within one year they were back to building normal energy plants. We're not ready for it. We can't sacrifice our country for the sake of bad vision. But I just ask one simple question. Why didn't she do it? We're a failing nation. We're a nation that's in serious decline. We're being laughed at all over the world. All over the world, they laugh, I know the leaders very well. They're coming to see me. They call me. We're laughed at all over the world. They don't understand what happened to us as a nation. We're not a leader. We don't have any idea what's going on. We have wars going on in the Middle East. We have wars going on with Russia and Ukraine. We're going to end up in a third World War. And it will be a war like no other because of nuclear weapons, the power of weaponry. I rebuilt our entire military. She gave a lot of it away to the Taliban. She gave it to Afghanistan. What these people have done to our country, and maybe toughest of all is allowing millions of people to come into our country, many of them are criminals, and they're destroying our country. The worst president, the worst vice president in the history of our country.

LINSEY DAVIS: President Trump thank you. And that is our ABC News presidential debate from here in Philadelphia at the National Constitution Center. I'm Linsey Davis.

DAVID MUIR: And I'm David Muir. Thank you for watching here in the U.S. And all over the world. And from all of us here at ABC News, good night.

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Taylor Swift endorses Kamala Harris after presidential debate

Pop superstar Taylor Swift endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential candidacy on Tuesday night after the high-stakes debate with former President Donald Trump, calling the Democratic nominee a "steady-handed, gifted leader."

"I will be casting my vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in the 2024 Presidential Election," Swift said in a post on Instagram to her more than 283 million followers. "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."

Swift went on to say that she was "heartened and impressed" by Harris' selection of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate, praising him as a champion of "LGBTQ+ rights, IVF and a woman's right to own her body for decades."

"I’ve done my research, and I’ve made my choice," the Grammy-winning artist added. "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! 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."

Swift, 34, signed her post "Childless Cat Lady" — a reference to language used by Trump's running mate, Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, to describe women who do not have kids. Swift included a photo of herself holding her cat, Benjamin Button , who has graced the cover of Time magazine with the singer.

Swift's endorsement came as a surprise to the Harris campaign, two campaign officials told NBC News. The campaign views the singer's backing as part of a "decisive victory" for the vice president on the debate stage and speaks to her ability to attract support, one of the officials said.

Walz appeared to learn about the endorsement during a live post-debate interview with MSNBC's Rachel Maddow. Walz patted his chest and smiled as Maddow read Swift's endorsement message.

"That was eloquent and it was clear," Walz said, "and that's the kind of courage we need in America to stand up."

The endorsement had been widely anticipated. Swift, who has an enormous worldwide fan base, threw her support behind President Joe Biden and Harris during the 2020 presidential election. Swift allowed the Biden-Harris campaign to use her song “Only the Young” in an advertisement during the 2020 cycle.

Swift once shied away from weighing in on American politics. But with the release of her documentary "Miss Americana" in 2020, she became more vocal. The movie chronicled her behind-the-scenes fight to publicly denounce Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., then a member of the House. She endorsed Blackburn's Senate opponent, Phil Bredesen.

Blackburn ultimately won the race, but Swift's post on Instagram encouraging her followers to register to vote activated waves of young people,  Vote.org said at the time .

In November, a national NBC News poll found 40% of registered voters had positive views of Swift, while 16% had negative views. A majority of Democrats (53%) viewed her positively, while 28% of Republicans said the same.

In the Instagram post, Swift also criticized social media users who have circulated images generated by artificial intelligence falsely stating that she had endorsed the Trump-Vance ticket. Trump shared a series of those images on his Truth Social platform.

"Recently I was made aware that 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," she said. "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."

Swifties for Kamala, a group of fans who have no official affiliation with either woman, said they were "thrilled."

"We’ve had no doubt that Taylor would endorse at the right time and are excited about the momentum she will bring to this campaign," Irene Kim, the group's co-founder, said in a statement.

In an interview with Fox News on Wednesday morning, Trump said he was not a fan of Swift. "She seems to always endorse a Democrat, and she’ll probably pay a price for it in the marketplace," he said.

Daniel Arkin is a national reporter at NBC News.

Debate Fact Check: Harris and Trump on the Economy, Immigration and Abortion

The 2024 presidential candidates clashed on their records and their visions for the country’s future in a high-stakes debate.

By The New York Times

• Share full article

Luke Broadwater

“I had nothing to do” with Jan. 6

— Former President Donald J. Trump

Trump and his allies spread lies for months about vast fraud that they falsely claimed stole the 2020 election from him. His supporters then organized a large rally near the White House designed to pressure Congress to overturn his loss. Trump encouraged the crowd to attend, promising it would be “wild.” He urged his supporters to march to the Capitol, where the rally turned into a violent riot that injured about 150 police officers. He faces federal felony charges of plotting to overturn the 2020 election and similar charges in Georgia.

Sheryl Gay Stolberg

“Now she wants to do transgender operations on illegal aliens that are in prison.”

This needs context..

Trump is referring to Harris’s response to a 2019 American Civil Liberties Union questionnaire , in which she said she supported using taxpayer funds to give access to gender-affirming care to transgender and nonbinary people, including those in immigration detention and prison.

CNN reported on the survey earlier this week, in a segment that drew sharp criticism from supporters of gay, lesbian and transgender people. The survey asked: “As president, will you use your executive authority to ensure that transgender and nonbinary people who rely on the state for medical care — including those in prison and immigration detention — will have access to comprehensive treatment associated with gender transition, including all necessary surgical care? If yes, how will you do so?”

Harris answered yes, writing, “It is important that transgender individuals who rely on the state for care receive the treatment they need, which includes access to treatment associated with gender transition. That’s why, as attorney general, I pushed the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to provide gender transition surgery to state inmates. I support policies ensuring that federal prisoners and detainees are able to obtain medically necessary care for gender transition, including surgical care, while incarcerated or detained. Transition treatment is a medical necessity, and I will direct all federal agencies responsible for providing essential medical care to deliver transition treatment.”

In an interview on Tuesday morning on Fox News, Michael Tyler, Harris’s campaign communications director, sought to distance Harris from the statement without disavowing it. “That questionnaire is not what she is proposing or running on,” Tyler said.

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Hamed Aleaziz

“In Springfield, they’re eating the dogs. The people that came in, they’re eating the cats. They’re eating — they’re eating the pets of the people that live there.”

A spokeswoman for the city of Springfield, Ohio, said this week that despite viral social media posts that have been promoted by Trump and his supporters, “there have been no credible reports or specific claims of pets being harmed, injured or abused by individuals within the immigrant community.” A Clark County, Ohio, official said that they “have absolutely no evidence of this happening.”

Alexandra Berzon

“A lot of these illegal immigrants coming in —” Democrats are “trying to get them to vote.”

This lacks evidence..

In recent months, Trump and other Republicans have frequently made the false claim that there’s a major crisis of noncitizens illegally voting in federal elections . They often claim, with no evidence, that Democrats are trying to get undocumented immigrants to vote in order to cheat their way to electoral victory.

In fact, people who are not U.S. citizens already face fines or imprisonment for voting in federal elections under a 1996 law. And experts point to data indicating that cases of noncitizens voting are rare and nowhere near the threshold to sway an election. Instance of undocumented people doing so are even rarer . Registrants to vote have to swear under penalty of perjury that they are citizens, and some states check for citizenship against federal databases.

Organizations including the left-leaning Brennan Center , the conservative Heritage Foundation and the libertarian Cato Institute that have examined the legal system, registration records or election offices for cases of citizenship fraud have found very few examples.

Jeanna Smialek

“We have inflation like very few people have ever seen before. Probably the worst in our nation’s history: We were at 21 percent.”

Inflation was higher by standard measures during the late 1970s and early 1980s. The Consumer Price Index peaked at 9.1 percent in 2022, less than in that earlier episode. Analysts will sometimes argue that if one adjusts for a methodological change to how housing is measured, recent inflation has rivaled that episode, which may be what Trump is referencing. In any case, it is not true that America’s recent inflation episode is the world leader, as one can see by looking at international data

“All I can say is I read where she was not Black. That she put out. And I’ll say that and then I read that she was Black, and that’s OK. Either one was OK with me.”

It’s unclear what Trump read, but Vice President Kamala Harris has always identified as Black and South Asian during her time in public office. Harris wrote in her 2019 memoir that “my mother understood very well that she was raising two Black daughters.”

Harris joined Alpha Kappa Alpha, a sorority for Black women , at Howard University, a historically Black university. She was also the president of the Black Law Students Association at the University of California Hastings College of the Law. A 1999 Los Angeles Times article mentioning Harris, then an assistant district attorney in San Francisco, referred to her as a “liberal African American” prosecutor, and a 2000 San Francisco Examiner article called Harris a leader in the city’s Black community.

She first ran for public office in 2002 for San Francisco district attorney and, when she won her race, became the state’s first Black district attorney. She appeared on a panel as an emerging leader in the Black community in a 2006 conference. And in a 2009 speech to a Los Angeles-area high school about Black history, Harris spoke of her personal history as intertwined with that of the civil rights movement, alluding to how her parents “organized” in the streets during the 1960s.

Michael Crowley

“As of today, there is not one member of the United States military who is in active duty in a combat zone, in any war zone around the world, for the first time this century.”

— Vice President Kamala Harris

No U.S. troops are fighting in an all-out war like the ones in Iraq and Afghanistan. But thousands of American troops have become entangled in hostilities around the Middle East since the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks.

President Biden has deployed numerous warships and fighter jets to Israel’s coast, and U.S. forces have intercepted Iranian missiles and drones fired at Israel. They have also launched dozens of airstrikes against Yemen’s Houthi militants. American forces have also suffered casualties: Three U.S. service members based in Jordan were killed in January by an attack drone, and two Navy Seals drowned earlier in February during anti-Houthi operations. Iranian-backed militias have also repeatedly attacked U.S. forces stationed in Iraq and Syria, causing multiple injuries.

Zolan Kanno-Youngs

“Crime here is up and through the roof.”

The claim is factually incorrect. While there was an increase in crime during the pandemic, various studies have shown violent crime has now dropped to the lowest level in decades. Despite public perception of lawlessness, violent crime was higher in 2020 under Mr. Trump than under President Biden so far. The violent crime rate was 380.7 per 100,000 people in 2022, according to police agencies’ data gathered by the F.B.I. That was a lower rate than in all but three years — 2013, 2014 and 2015 — since 1985. Preliminary analysis from the F.B.I. suggested that violent crime decreased 15.2 percent in the first quarter of 2024 from the same period in 2023 , with an even greater drop of 18 percent in cities with more than one million people. Still, some studies have found that shoplifting and motor vehicle theft increased in 2023.

Kate Zernike

“Her vice-presidential pick says abortion in the ninth month is absolutely fine. He also says execution after birth. It’s execution, no longer abortion, because the baby is born is, OK, and that’s not OK with me.”

Abortion terminates a pregnancy, so “abortion after birth” is a contradiction. Killing a child after birth is infanticide, which is illegal in all 50 states. Vice President Kamala Harris has said she wants to restore the abortion rights established in Roe v. Wade. Roe, the 1973 Supreme Court decision overturned in 2022, allowed states to prohibit abortion in the third trimester — the seventh, eighth and ninth months of pregnancy — so long as they made exceptions to save the health and life of the mother. “Late term” is defined as 41 weeks, or just beyond nine months. According to federal data , less than 1 percent of all abortions take place after the 20th week of pregnancy; 93 percent are at or before 13 weeks. Minnesota, where the Democrat vice-presidential nominee, Tim Walz, is governor, is one of the few states to allow abortion at any stage of pregnancy . But allowing abortions at that stage does not mean that doctors perform them. State data for 2022 , the most recent available, shows that of the 12,175 abortions in the state that year, only two happened between 25 and 30 weeks of pregnancy, and none after the 30th week of pregnancy, which is roughly the start of the third trimester.

Ben Protess

“Every one of those cases was started by them against their political opponent.”

Trump’s claims that the Biden administration orchestrated his four criminal cases , including the one in Manhattan that led to his conviction in May on charges of falsifying records to cover up a sex scandal, has no basis in fact.

The Manhattan investigation began while Trump, not President Biden, was in office. The case was brought by the district attorney, Alvin L. Bragg, a local Democrat who does not answer to Biden or Vice President Kamala Harris. The same goes for Trump’s criminal case in Georgia, where a district attorney accused him of trying to overturn the 2020 election results in that state. And Trump’s two federal cases were brought by a special counsel, a semi-independent prosecutor who is accountable to the attorney general. While the attorney general is chosen by the president, the White House has no direct influence over the special counsel.

All of Trump’s legal challenges to the outcome of the 2020 election were dismissed on “technicalities” or the basis of “standing.”

This is false..

While some of the challenges to the last election were rejected on the basis of standing — that is, on the issue of whether the plaintiffs had the legal right to question the results and assert they had been harmed — there were some cases that were decided on the merits of whether there were improprieties in the race. And none of those cases were decided in Mr. Trump’s favor. One of the merits cases was decided in Wisconsin by Brett H. Ludwig, a federal judge appointed by Mr. Trump. “This court has allowed the plaintiff the chance to make his case,” Judge Ludwig wrote in his ruling, “and he has lost on the merits.”

Julian E. Barnes

“Putin endorsed her last week, said, ‘I hope she wins.’”

This is misleading..

Most observers believe that Vladimir V. Putin’s comments on Sept. 5 that he supported Vice President Kamala Harris were said in jest. The U.S. intelligence agencies have assessed that Putin supports the election of Trump. Documents released as part of an indictment against two employees of the Russian state broadcaster show the Kremlin developed a plan to influence swing state voters in favor of Trump. The Kremlin believes Trump will cut back, or end, U.S. military aid to Ukraine. While Trump has claimed that the invasion of Ukraine would not have taken place if he were president, there is little evidence that he would have taken action to deter Russia.

Helene Cooper

“They sent her in to negotiate with Zelensky and Putin, and she did, and the war started three days later.”

The vice president traveled to the Munich Security Conference in February 2022, in the days before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine that month. President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine was there, and Harris met with him. Putin was not present.

Margot Sanger-Katz

“When Donald Trump was president, 60 times he tried to get rid of the Affordable Care Act — 60 times.”

As president, Trump did try to get rid of the Affordable Care Act, urging Republicans in Congress in 2017 to pass several bills to repeal and replace major portions of it. Those efforts were ultimately unsuccessful. Republicans in Congress had voted many times since the health law was enacted in 2010 to fully repeal or substantially modify Obamacare. Most of those attempts predated Trump’s presidency. Various analysts have tallied those efforts at 70 , or even 100 . But those very high counts include even proposed changes to the landmark legislation that were relatively minor — and some that had bipartisan support. Most failed to become law.

“I had a choice to make” on Obamacare. “Do I save it and make it as good as it can be? Or do I let it rot? And I saved it. I did the right thing.”

Trump did not “save” the health insurance law known as Obamacare; the United States Senate did, in defiance of him. During his first year in office, Trump asked Congress to pass legislation repealing the Affordable Care Act, the 2010 law that created the program. The Republican-controlled House approved the bill. But in a dramatic moment on Capitol Hill, Senator John McCain, the Arizona Republican and nemesis of Trump, cast the decisive vote to defeat the proposal, just days after returning to the Senate after receiving a diagnosis of brain cancer. The vote was a surprise to Trump; he had cheered McCain’s return to Washington in a social media post calling the Arizona senator “brave” and a “hero,” apparently believing that he had come back to Congress to help kill — not save — Obamacare.

Andrew Duehren

“Over the last four years, we have invested $1 trillion in a clean energy economy.”

The current administration has facilitated a burst of private investment because of tax credits and other incentives included in the Inflation Reduction Act passed in 2022. According to the Clean Investment Monitor, which tracks investments, clean energy investment since 2021 has totaled roughly $700 billion. Some experts expect the clean energy incentives to eventually help drive more than $1 trillion in private investment.

“Donald Trump, the candidate, has said in this election there will be a blood bath if this, and the outcome of this election, is not to his liking.”

Harris is correct that Trump warned of a “blood bath” if he did not win the 2024 election, but Trump has contended that he was speaking about an economic blood bath and was focused on competition from Chinese electric vehicles.

Here is the full quote of what Trump said at rally in March, so readers can decide for themselves.

“If you’re listening, President Xi, and you and I are friends, but he understands the way I deal, those big monster car manufacturing plants that you’re building in Mexico right now, and you think you’re going to get that, you’re going to not hire Americans and you’re going to sell the cars to us, we’re going to put a 100 percent tariff on every single car that comes across the line, and you’re not going to be able to sell those cars if I get elected,” he said.

“Now, if I don’t get elected, it’s going to be a blood bath. That’s going to be the least of it. It’s going to be a blood bath for the country. That’ll be the least of it. But they’re not going to sell those cars,” he continued.

“We have millions of people pouring into our country from prisons and jails, from mental institutions and insane asylums.”

Immigration experts have said they could not corroborate Mr. Trump’s claims . The Trump campaign has previously cited a September 2022 article in Breitbart, a conservative website. One unnamed source told Breitbart that officials believed an unspecified number of Venezuelan prison inmates were headed for the United States’ southern border with Mexico. (No other news organization or government source has verified this report.)

The campaign also pointed to reports warning that Tren de Aragua, a transnational criminal gang founded in Venezuela, was growing in the United States. But none of this is evidence that “millions” of criminals are infiltrating the southern border.

Customs and Border Protection reported apprehending 47 members of Tren de Aragua along the southern border under Mr. Biden. Prison populations all over the world have been increasing, not decreasing. Penal Reform International, a Netherlands-based nonprofit, estimated that the global prison population was a record 11.5 million in 2023 , an increase of 500,000 people since 2020 .

“For years we were paying almost all of NATO. We were being ripped off by European nations, both on trade and on NATO. I got them to pay up.”

Trump incorrectly characterizes the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Member countries make direct contributions to the organization, based on national income, and also agree to spend at least 2 percent of their gross domestic product on their own defense.

Trump’s complaints led to NATO reducing the United States’ contribution to the common fund. Previously the United States paid about 22 percent of its central budget, and it dropped to 16 percent. And the number of countries meeting that 2 percent guideline increased to 10 from five in recent years.

Trump can claim some credit for increased spending, but it’s worth noting that countries pledged in 2014 to meet that goal within a decade.

Jim Tankersley

“The Trump administration resulted in a trade deficit — one of the highest we’ve ever seen in the history of America.”

In 2020, at the end of Donald J. Trump’s tenure in office, the trade deficit — the difference between how much the United States imports and how much it exports — was about $650 billion. That was lower than four years of the George W. Bush administration, and the first three years of the Biden-Harris administration.

Brad Plumer

“We had the largest increase in domestic oil production in history, because of an approach that recognizes that we cannot over-rely on foreign oil.”

U.S. crude oil production has indeed risen to record highs this year , though experts say that has little to do with actions taken by the Biden administration. Most oil production has occurred on private and state lands, where the federal government has little oversight. At times, President Biden has actually tried to restrict drilling on federal lands and waters in the name of tackling climate change, but the courts have frequently limited his ability to do so .

Lisa Friedman

Biden “ended the XL pipeline, the XL pipeline in our country. He ended that.”

On his first day in office, President Biden rescinded the construction permit for the Keystone XL oil pipeline , which would have transported carbon-heavy oil from the Canadian oil sands to the Gulf Coast. That same day, the sponsor of the project, TC Energy, a Canadian company, said that it was suspending work on the line.

Trump had revived the project after it stalled under the Obama administration, but it continued to face legal challenges that hampered construction. Opponents had fought the project for years over concerns that burning oil sands crude could make climate change worse and harder to reverse.

I “have built it into many, many billions of dollars; many, many billions.”

This is exaggerated..

Trump habitually exaggerates his wealth, so much so that the New York attorney general’s office sued him for fraudulently inflating his net worth, a case that led to a more than $450 million judgment against him .

In reality, he has about $400 million in cash, stocks and bonds, though if the New York case is upheld on appeal, it will essentially wipe out his liquid assets.

Much of his purported net worth is tied up in the real estate he owns. So when Trump says he is worth many billions, he appears to be referring to the value of that property. But property values fluctuate, and there is no reliable assessment of his assets. He also has a roughly $2 billion stake in his social media company, though he can’t yet access those shares and their value has plummeted in recent months.

“She wouldn’t even meet with Netanyahu when he went to Congress to make a very important speech. She refused to be there because she was at a sorority party of hers.”

It is true that when Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel addressed Congress on July 19, Vice President Kamala Harris did not attend the speech. On that day she delivered a long-planned speech in Indiana to the national conference for Zeta Phi Beta, one of the country’s historically Black sororities. But Harris returned to Washington the next day for a meeting with Netanyahu .

“And when she ran, she was the first one to leave because she failed” in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary.

Harris dropped out of the Democratic primary in December 2019 , which came as a surprise given expectations surrounding her candidacy. But her exit was preceded by more than a dozen others , including prominent members of Congress, former and sitting governors and the mayor of New York City.

“She went out in Minnesota and wanted to let criminals that killed people, that burned down Minneapolis.”

After the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis and the protests that ensued, Vice President Kamala Harris posted on social media in June 2020 asking supporters “to help post bail for those protesting on the ground in Minnesota” by donating to the Minnesota Freedom Fund, a bail fund.

The fund used some of those money to bail out people who committed serious crimes. But Ms. Harris did not specifically call to release murderers from behind bars.

Michael D. Shear

“Remember that she was the border czar. She doesn’t want to be called the border czar because she’s embarrassed by the border.”

Harris was never appointed “border czar,” nor was she tasked with addressing border security. Rather, she had a role in addressing the root causes of migration in Central American countries. Moreover, she did visit the border in June 2021, where she toured an immigration facility in El Paso.

“By the way, Joe Biden was found essentially guilty on the documents case.”

A special counsel, Robert K. Hur, was appointed by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland to determine whether there was sufficient evidence to prosecute President Biden after his aides reported that classified documents from his time as vice president had been found in his possession. Hur spent months investigating Biden and in February issued a report in which he declined to bring charges against Biden for a number of reasons. Among them was that Biden, unlike Trump, cooperated with the federal inquiry into his handling of classified documents.

Elizabeth Dias

“And as far as the abortion ban, no, I’m not in favor of abortion ban.”

Trump privately expressed support for a 16-week abortion ban earlier this year, although he later reviewed polling suggesting it was problematic, and did not support it. His allies, including former Trump administration officials, have also planned new sweeping abortion restrictions that do not require a national ban passed by Congress. One plan includes enforcing a long-dormant law from 1873, called the Comstock Act , to criminalize the shipping of any materials used in an abortion — including the medication used in the majority of abortions in America.

“Fracking? She’s been against it for 12 years.”

During her first presidential campaign in 2019, Harris endorsed a ban on hydraulic fracturing, or fracking , a process used to extract oil and natural gas from bedrock. She also challenged federal approvals of offshore fracking when she was attorney general of California. When she became President Biden’s running mate in 2020, she distanced herself from that position, and now says she no longer supports a ban on fracking.

“We made ventilators for the entire world.”

Early in the pandemic, the Trump administration was criticized for a shortage of ventilators . In March 2020, Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, was put in charge of an effort to ramp up production. Trump later announced a plan to make the United States the “king of ventilators” by donating them to other countries. But ProPublica reported that while White House officials had pushed the U.S. Agency for International Development to purchase thousands of ventilators and donate them abroad, the effort was “marked by dysfunction.”

In the end, the ventilators weren’t needed. By May 2020, doctors began using ventilators only as a last resort, after observing unusually high death rates for Covid-19 patients who were put on the devices. The Associated Press quoted Daniel Edelman, a professor at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, as saying the Trump administration was buying more than twice the number of ventilators it needed.

“People give me credit for rebuilding the military.”

Trump’s allies often repeat his talking point that he “rebuilt” the military. He did increase the defense budget during his four years in office, by around $225 billion. But he also promised to build a 350-ship Navy and to expand the Army. He did neither. The Army today is at its smallest size since 1940. The year Mr. Trump left office, the Navy was down to 294 ships. Efforts to expand the number of Air Force squadrons received no presidential push and went nowhere.

“I have nothing to do with Project 2025.”

Project 2025, a set of conservative policy proposals assembled by a Washington think tank for a Republican presidential administration, does not directly come from Trump or his campaign. Still, CNN documented that 140 people who worked for the Trump administration had a role in Project 2025. Some were top advisers to Trump in his first term and are all but certain to step into prominent posts should he win a second term.

Trump has also supported some of the proposals, with some overlap between Project 2025 and his own campaign plans. Among the similarities: undercutting the independence of the Justice Department and pressing to end diversity, equity and inclusion programs. And he enacted other initiatives mentioned in Project 2025 in his first term, such as levying tariffs on China and making it easier to fire federal workers. Trump has criticized some elements as “absolutely ridiculous and abysmal,” though he has not specified which proposals he opposes.

When the director of the project departed the think tank, Trump’s campaign released a statement that said, “Reports of Project 2025’s demise would be greatly welcomed and should serve as notice to anyone or any group trying to misrepresent their influence with President Trump and his campaign — it will not end well for you.”

“We handed them over a country where the economy and with — the stock market was higher than it was before the pandemic came in. Nobody’s ever seen anything like it.”

The economy grew at a fairly normal pace in the United States in the years leading up to the pandemic, and while the stock market did touch new highs under Trump’s watch, that is typically the case during a presidency: Historically, stock prices tend to climb over time. Stocks have traced new highs under the Biden administration, as measured by the S&P 500 index .

“Every legal scholar — every Democrat, every Republican, liberal, conservative — they all wanted” abortion policy “to be brought back to the states.”

Some conservative legal scholars asked the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision that identified a right to abortion in the Constitution. They said state legislators, not unelected justices, should set abortion policy. But many legal scholars also filed briefs urging the court not to do so, arguing that the original decision had been on solid legal ground and that overturning federal protection for abortion would disastrously reverse five decades of precedent.

Immigrants are “coming in and they’re taking jobs that are occupied right now by African Americans.”

Various economists have found that immigrants are a crucial part of the U.S. labor force and that their presence has been healthy for the nation’s economy. The population of foreign-born workers is also not large enough to offset job creation over the past three years. A few studies have indeed shown negative wage effects, particularly on Black workers and other Americans in occupations in which there are many immigrants. But while this dynamic has been debated for decades, there is no clear conclusion.

Several studies have, however, found a mutually beneficial relationship between high-skilled immigrants and similarly skilled U.S.-born workers, as well as between low-skilled immigrants and more highly skilled U.S.-born workers, contributes to higher wages for natives. Economists also have found immigrants are especially important as more Americans age and leave the labor force.

Immigrants are “taking over the towns. They’re taking over buildings. They’re going in violently.”

The claim is factually incorrect. The former president was referring to towns in Ohio and Colorado that have seen large influxes of immigrants, most of whom came into the United States legally, often with work permits. There have been examples of crime in those cities, but the vast majority of the immigrants have been working and paying taxes. In Springfield, Ohio, for example, thousands of Haitian immigrants have helped fill jobs as the city recovered from steep economic decline, but their presence has divided the town politically. A traffic accident caused by a Haitian immigrant has roiled the city, but there has not been widespread violence, and many in the city support the Haitian migrants as an important part of the economy.

“She’s a Marxist. Everybody knows she’s a Marxist.”

Marxism refers to the political, social and economics theories of Karl Marx, practiced as socialism or communism. Ms. Harris’s campaign has described her as a capitalist . She has not proposed to seize the means of production. And she has received the backing of more than 80 chief executives , some of whom have called her “pro-business.”

“The only jobs they got were bounce-back jobs.”

Trump claimed that the only jobs created under the Biden-Harris administration were from recovering jobs that were lost under Trump amid the pandemic recession. In fact, under the Biden administration, the American economy has regained all the jobs it lost from before the pandemic and created nearly 6.5 million additional jobs on top of that.

“Donald Trump left us the worst unemployment since the Great Depression.”

Unemployment spiked to its worst levels since the Great Depression in the pandemic recession of 2020, but it was 6.4 percent the month Trump left office . That’s nowhere near the worst rate since the Depression.

Shawn Hubler

“This business about taking everyone’s guns away — Tim Walz and I are both gun owners.”

This is true..

A career prosecutor in California before she ran for the U.S. Senate, Harris has long said that she owns a handgun. “I am a gun owner, and I own a gun for probably the reason a lot of people do — for personal safety,” she told reporter s outside a campaign event in Iowa during her run for the White House in 2019.

Although she has long called for universal background checks, a ban on assault-style weapons and other controls, she has not called for seizing legally purchased firearms. Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota, her running mate, is an Army veteran and a hunter who was endorsed by the National Rifle Association until he began supporting tighter firearm restrictions after a teenage gunman opened fire at a Florida high school in 2018.

“I was a better shot than most Republicans in Congress and I have the trophies to prove it,” he said. “But I’m also a dad. I believe in the Second Amendment, but I also believe that our first responsibility is to keep our kids safe.”

“He lost manufacturing jobs.”

The United States had lost nearly 200,000 factory jobs at the end of Donald Trump’s presidency compared with when Trump took office. Those losses were largely a product of the pandemic recession.

“We have created over 800,000 new manufacturing jobs.”

Since President Biden took office, seasonally adjusted manufacturing employment has increased by 739,000 jobs. Previous estimates put that increase above 800,000, but that number fell after the Labor Department issued an annual revision to its jobs numbers last month.