The first presidential debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris kicked off at 9 p.m. EDT on Tuesday with an "awkward handshake" as they took the stage. Social media reactions were immediate, with some calling Trump "sleepy" and others saying Harris appeared "nervous."
"Within ten seconds you understand why the Kamala Harris campaign has kept her hidden She's so nervous and awkward," one person commented.
Another wrote, "Kamala Harris refused to answer the first question. Are you better off today than you were four years ago. She is scripted. She is nervous."
🚨 President Trump just introduced herself to Trump as “Kamala Harris”She’s so freaking nervous 😂🤣 pic.twitter.com/KezNep0bnH
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) September 11, 2024
A third person wrote, "Trump is lying like crazy. I can’t keep up! Sleepy Donald Trump."
Another user commented, "Trump looks more sleepy than Joe Biden."
Another X user wrote, "Kamala looks amused by the absurdity, Trump looks sleepy… what a weird energy gap."
is it me or is trump falling asleep big baby is missing his little warm bed because he's old and sleepy? 🥺
— verónica #1 loml/sig stan (@soitfuckingoes) September 11, 2024
As soon as the debate began, Kamala Harris spoke about her agenda: housing and small-business support. She claimed that Trump wants to introduce a "sales tax" on every day goods. Trump quickly dismissed the claim, saying, "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," he added. “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.”
He then changed the subject to immigration and border security, saying Biden administration has been a "disaster" for the country .
"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 led 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," he said.