The recent debate between US President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump focused on key issues such as the war in Ukraine, the conflict between Israel and Hamas, immigration policies, and abortion laws. The debate, held in Atlanta, was high-stakes as both candidates tried to appeal to voters ahead of the November election. Trump blamed Biden for the war in Ukraine, claiming that Putin invaded after seeing how the Biden administration handled the exit from Afghanistan. Biden, on the other hand, called Putin a “war criminal” and emphasized the importance of alliances with NATO in supporting Ukraine.
In terms of the conflict between Israel and Hamas, Trump did not directly answer if he would support an independent Palestinian state but focused on supporting Israel. Biden, on the other hand, advocated for a ceasefire deal that included trading hostages for Palestinian prisoners and additional conditions for a lasting peace. The candidates sparred over their immigration policies, with Trump criticizing Biden’s “open border” policies and advocating for stricter measures. They also clashed over abortion laws, with Biden expressing support for Roe v Wade and Trump arguing that states should have the right to decide on abortion legality.
During the debate, the two candidates traded barbs, with Biden referring to Trump as a “convicted felon” due to his recent criminal convictions related to falsifying business records. Trump was found guilty on 34 counts of falsifying records for a hush-money payment to Stormy Daniels in 2016. The debate was slightly more muted than previous encounters between the candidates, with interruptions minimized by switching off microphones. Overall, the debate highlighted the stark differences in policy and approach between Biden and Trump on key issues facing the country and the world.
