Kamala Harris faced Donald Trump in a high-stakes debate ahead of the 2024 election. Harris, making her debate debut against Trump, focused on attacking his leadership, highlighting his shifting positions on abortion and crowd sizes. Trump attempted to play up his immigration policies but struggled under Harris’s sharp retorts. Harris emphasised her vision for change, positioning herself as the candidate to move beyond Trump’s ‘tired playbook’ of grievances. Despite Trump’s attempts to paint her as a continuation of Joe Biden, she stayed on message, especially on economic and climate issues. The debate moderators fact-checked Trump, leading to complaints from him and his supporters about unfair treatment. Harris ended the debate on a high note, made even better when pop star Taylor Swift publicly endorsed her. Though polls show mixed views on who represents ‘change’, Harris’s performance has solidified her status as a strong contender in the extremely tight race for the White House.