Donald Trump, the 45th President of the United States, stated during the CNN presidential debate on Thursday night that if re-elected, he would not view the leaders of Russia, North Korea, and China as adversaries, but rather, he promised to work with them towards securing world peace.
“We have enemies on the outside—China, Russia, and North Korea. But they’re not enemies if you have a smart president. They’re not enemies; you’ll make them do great,” Trump remarked.
He expressed confidence that he could end the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, among others, before even taking office. Trump criticised President Biden’s policies, claiming they portray America as weak and contribute to ongoing global crises, including wars and climate issues.
He attributed the Gaza conflict to Biden’s approach towards Iran, stating, “In my administration, I made sure Iran was broke.”
Trump labelled the Biden administration as the worst in U.S. history, highlighting problems in immigration, healthcare, and foreign policy, particularly the withdrawal from Afghanistan. This debate, the first to feature both candidates, had new regulations like muting microphones and a strict 2-minute response time but was not publicly broadcast.
Joe Biden, the current President, faced scrutiny over his judgement, raising questions within the Democratic Party about his leadership capability. Despite moderation by experienced journalists Jake Tapper and Dana Bash, some questions were sidestepped.
Former US President Donald Trump did not clearly state his stance on the creation of a Palestinian state, a potential solution to the Israel-Hamas conflict, insteadcriticisingg Biden as a weak leader who is unpopular with Palestinians.
He also made several claims requiring fact-checking, including statements about not having relations with a porn star and denying responsibility for the January 6 Capitol riot.
Post-debate polls indicated that Trump outperformed Biden, who is seeking reelection.
