Democracy, abortion, inflation and Ukraine: here is a selection of statements made by Joe Biden and Donald Trump during the first debate that pitted them against each other on Thursday in the race for the White House.
Democracy
“And now he says if he loses again, this whiner, there could be a bloodbath. This guy has no sense of what American democracy is,” claims Biden. “You have the moral sense of a depraved person,” he blurted.
Donald Trump on political violence: “Of course, I think it’s totally unacceptable.”
Donald Trump, who is still contesting Joe Biden’s victory at the polls in 2020, has once again refused to commit to recognizing the result of the November presidential election without conditions.
“If the elections are fair and equitable, absolutely,” he only replied when questioned on the subject.
Joe Biden stumbles against Donald Trump
“This guy has no sense of what democracy is,” Joe Biden said.
Abortion
Joe Biden: “It’s a terrible thing, what you did,” the Democratic president said to his Republican opponent.
He was referring to the end of federal protection of the right to abortion, decided by a Supreme Court profoundly modified by the billionaire.
Donald Trump: “It was a very good thing.”
Russian invasion of Ukraine
The war in Ukraine would never have happened if the United States had a “leader”, Donald Trump told President Joe Biden. “I would resolve this war between Putin and Zelensky as president-elect before taking office on January 20,” he continues.
Joe Biden: “The fact is, Putin is a war criminal. He’s killed thousands and thousands of people. And he’s made one thing clear. He wants to restore what was part of the Soviet Empire. Not fair a piece, he wants all of Ukraine (…) Do you think he will stop there?
The war between Israel and Hamas
Joe Biden: “We cannot allow Hamas to continue (…). And they have been greatly weakened. And they must be. They must be eliminated. But we must be careful (about the use) of certain weapons in population centers.”
On this, Trump accuses Biden of behaving “like a Palestinian.” “We must let (Israel) go there and finish the job” in Gaza. “He doesn’t want to do it, he has become like a Palestinian, but they don’t like him because he is a very bad Palestinian. A weak (Palestinian).”
The economy
Joe Biden: after the Trump presidency, “our economy was in free fall”. “So we had to try to put things back in order.”
“He decimated the economy. That’s why there was no inflation at the time. There were no jobs.”
Donald Trump: “Inflation is killing our country. It’s absolutely killing us.”
Trump’s presidential ambitions: revenge, divisive support for Europe and migrant detention camps
The climate
Donald Trump: “I want absolutely pristine clean water, and I want absolutely clean air… I had the best environmental numbers.”
Joe Biden: “I passed the most comprehensive legislation in history on climate change (…) The only existential threat to humanity is climate change, and he has done nothing about it “.
L’immigration
Donald Trump: “We had the most secure border in history. Now we have the worst border in history. And people are dying everywhere.”
Joe Biden: “There is no data to support what he says”. “Once again he exaggerates, he lies.”
“Repeat offender”
Joe Biden: “The only person here who is a repeat offender is the man I’m looking at.”
Donald Trump: “When he says he’s a felon, his son is a felon. (…) As soon as he leaves office, Joe could become a felon with all the things he’s done.”
Joe Biden: “You have the moral compass of a depraved person”
Age
Joe Biden: “This guy is three years younger and he’s a lot less competent.”
Donald Trump: “I’ve taken cognitive tests. I’ve passed them. (…) He hasn’t taken any. I’d like to see him take one, just one, a very easy test, and pass the first five questions.”
