For 90 minutes on Tuesday night, ABC News hosted the first presidential debate between Democratic candidate Kamala Harris, 59, and her rival, former Republican President Donald Trump, 78. The debate featured sharp exchanges on key issues such as immigration, abortion rights, and foreign policy. Both candidates aimed to sway voters ahead of the upcoming election on November 5.

Following the debate, US media outlets quickly began analysing the event, with many favouring Harris. Her composed and confident performance stood in contrast to her Republican rival, Trump.

This was not Trump’s first debate, as he had previously faced off against incumbent President Joe Biden. In that debate, Biden's performance was criticised, with US media largely declaring Trump the winner.

However, the dynamic has shifted. In this second presidential debate for Trump, and his first with Kamala Harris, he appeared more defensive.

Media discussions emphasise the importance of this debate in shaping voter opinions and impacting the 2024 election narrative.

Politico clearly declared Kamala Harris as the winner of the first presidential debate, stating, "Harris won the debate — and it wasn’t close." The outlet noted, "The vice president’s performance against Donald Trump, in which she repeatedly baited him and knocked him off balance."

CNN echoed similar sentiments, saying, "Kamala Harris baited Donald Trump for nearly all of the 1 hour and 45 minutes of their first and potentially only debate on Tuesday night – and Trump took every bit of it."

The Washington Post analysed the debate between Harris and Trump, describing it as "a sharp, fiery case against Republican nominee Donald Trump during a freewheeling debate on Tuesday". They added that "Trump often strayed from the facts, embracing debunked conspiracy theories about immigration and the 2020 election."

The New York Times emphasised that Harris delivered "a crisp and clear message", while Trump appeared "angry and defensive".

Fox News offered a more mixed analysis of the debate, stating, "It’s pretty clear to me that on Tuesday night, Vice President Kamala Harris won what may be the only debate between herself and former President Trump."

However, they also noted that "Harris was aided by two ABC News moderators who felt the need to fact-check virtually everything the former president said."

The outlet further added that "Trump became more frustrated and divisive as the nearly two-hour debate continued."

MSNBC also declared Harris the winner, saying, "A win. Kamala Harris. Throughout Tuesday’s debate, the vice president looked poised, qualified, and presidential."

They noted how "Harris repeatedly baited Trump, who appeared clearly frustrated."

USA Today commented that "Donald Trump knocked Joe Biden out of the 2024 presidential race in the last debate, but the Republican found himself repeatedly knocked on his heels Tuesday night when squaring off against his new Democratic opponent: Kamala Harris."

The Wall Street Journal also highlighted how "Vice President Kamala Harris put former President Donald Trump on the defensive in their first presidential debate, provoking him over crowd sizes at his rallies and his felony convictions," signalling how the race has shifted with Harris's rise to the top of the ticket.