Less than a week following the presidential debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, the former president’s closing statement has gained momentum in views on ABC News’ TikTok page.
On Tuesday, Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, faced off with Vice President Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, on the ABC News debate stage in Philadelphia for the first time as the two clashed over abortion, the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, and immigration.
Since the debate, Harris received a positive reception, with a flash poll by CNN and a Fox News post-debate voter panel saying she came out ahead of Trump. In addition, a poll by YouGov, released following the debate, found that more voters saw Harris as the winner (54 percent of respondents favored Harris and 31 percent Trump).
However, Trump has repeatedly claimed that he had the better debate performance.
“…Polls clearly show that I won the Debate against Comrade Kamala Harris, the Democrats’ Radical Left Candidate, on Tuesday night, and she immediately called for a Second Debate,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Thursday night.
It is unclear what polls Trump is referring to.
On Friday, Representative Lauren Boebert, a Colorado Republican and Trump ally, to social media to point towards ABC News’ TikTok videos of both nominee’s closing statement.
“The media is attempting to manufacture an image for Kamala Harris as some popular woman who has taken the country by storm. In reality, outside of DC newsrooms no one really cares,” Boebert wrote in a post to X, formerly Twitter, on Friday.
The media is attempting to manufacture an image for Kamala Harris as some popular woman who has taken the country by storm.
In reality, outside of DC newsrooms no one really cares. https://t.co/O9nXmAJk47
— Lauren Boebert (@laurenboebert) September 13, 2024
According to ABC News’ TikTok page, in which Trump’s and Harris’ closing statements were uploaded three days ago, video of the former president’s closing statement has 24.7 million views with 1.7 million likes as of Saturday afternoon. Meanwhile, a video of the vice president’s closing statement has 4.7 million views with over 220,000 likes.
In response to the amount of TikTok views, in an emailed statement to Newsweek, Trump’s communications director Steven Cheung, took aim at Harris, stating, “Everybody knows Kamala Harris has nothing to offer America, which is why President Trump has all the momentum and the people of America standing with him as he returns to the White House.”
Newsweek has reached out to Harris’ campaign via email for comment.
Win McNamee/Getty Images
In his closing statement, Trump questioned why Harris has not implemented any of the policies she proposed during Tuesday’s debate during her three-and-a-half-years in the White House.
“They’ve had three and half years to fix the border. They’ve had three and a half years to create jobs,” Trump said. “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.”
The former president said Harris believes “in things that the American people don’t believe in,” as he spoke about fracking and fossil fuel.
Trump said international leaders come to him and share that they don’t know what’s going on with the United States. He spoke about the wars happening between Russia and Ukraine as well as in the Middle East, pointing toward the potential for a third World War. Trump also brought up immigration.
“We can’t sacrifice our country for the sake of bad vision,” Trump said. “We’re a failing nation. We’re a nation that’s in serious decline.”
In her closing statement, Harris contrasted a choice between the future and the past.
“I think you’ve heard tonight two very different visions for our country: one that is focused on our future and one that is focused on the past,” she said. “We’re not going back, and I do believe the American people know that we all have so much more in common than what separates us and we can chart a new way forward.”
@abcnews In her closing statement, Kamala Harris tries to draw contrast between herself and Donald Trump, saying, “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.” #ABCDebate
♬ original sound – ABC News
Harris said she believes in what the country can do together and ensure everyone has the respect deserved.
“I will be a president that protects our fundamental rights and freedoms,” Harris said. “I started my career as a prosecutor. I was a DA, attorney general, senator and now vice president. I’ve only had one client: the people.”
She said she never cared if a victim or witness was a Republican or Democrat, calling for a similar sentiment in the next president.
“I intend to be a president for all Americans,” Harris said.
Meanwhile, shortly after the debate, the Harris campaign immediately challenged Trump to another one, with Fox News inviting both nominees for another showdown.
However, Trump has rejected her proposal. When asked by Newsweek why Trump won’t debate Harris again, Cheung, previously said via email on Saturday afternoon, “Like President Trump said, he totally dominated Kamala Harris on the debate stage and because she was so thoroughly defeated, she begged for another one because she lost so bad.”
