Donald Trump’s campaign scrambled into damage control mode on Wednesday after his supporters expressed frustration over his lackluster performance during the first presidential debate. The event saw Democratic candidate Kamala Harris frequently throw Trump off balance, leading him to miss key opportunities to address policy issues.
Despite Trump’s claims of a decisive win, Republican commentators widely agreed that Harris had the upper hand. During the exchanges, she strategically baited Trump, causing him to stray from his message and respond with frustration.
In an unusual move, Trump appeared in the post-debate media spin room, a space usually reserved for campaign surrogates. He dismissed the idea of a second debate, suggesting that Harris needed it more than he did, even though many in the GOP believed she had won. “I’m not really interested in a second debate. We had a great night. We won,” he told Fox & Friends.
Fox News analyst Brit Hume was among those critical of Trump, describing his performance as riddled with “old grievances that aren’t winners politically.” Other observers noted that Harris had set the tone for the debate from the start, approaching Trump with a handshake — a rare gesture that positioned her as assertive from the outset.
Several exchanges left a lasting impression, including a moment when Harris mocked Trump’s rallies as being boring, prompting him to go off-topic. Harris smiled through his rant, letting the moment play to her advantage. Many Republicans saw this as a turning point in the debate, with former New Jersey governor Chris Christie commenting, “She was prepared, he wasn’t. Whoever prepped Trump for this debate should be fired.”
Conservative commentators and congressional Republicans voiced disappointment with Trump’s lack of focus. Guy Benson, editor at Townhall, and conservative radio host Erick Erickson echoed these sentiments, pointing out that Trump’s performance was his own undoing, not the fault of moderators or Harris.
Harris also challenged Trump on foreign policy, accusing him of being “weak” in the eyes of global leaders. In response, Trump cited support from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, a figure who has been criticized for undermining democracy.
A GOP lawmaker summed up the party’s concerns: “He didn’t stay composed like he did in the first debate. It’s just disappointing.” Some Republicans now expect Trump to make drastic campaign moves in an attempt to shift the narrative.
