Former President Donald Trump made a surprise appearance in the spin room following his debate with Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday in Philadelphia. Trump declared himself the winner of the night, addressing reporters before heading to a live interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity.
“I had a good time. I think it was our best debate ever. We had three against one,” Trump said, referring to the ABC News moderators, and describing his performance as the “best” of his debate career.
It is unusual for candidates to enter the spin room, typically reserved for their surrogates. Trump, however, said he “just felt” like doing so and was “very happy with the result.”
During the debate, Harris made several attempts to unsettle Trump, leading him to veer off-topic at times, including discussing crowd sizes, President Biden, and a baseless conspiracy theory about migrants abducting pets in Ohio.
Following the debate, Harris’s campaign quickly called for a second round, with campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon stating, “Vice President Harris is ready for a second debate. Is Donald Trump?”
A Fox News Digital panel of voters overwhelmingly declared Harris the debate winner. Twelve voters supported Harris, while only five backed Trump. Many felt Trump struggled to effectively challenge his new opponent, with some suggesting a different strategy might have been more successful.
In their first and possibly only debate on September 11, Harris and Trump engaged in a heated exchange. Harris mocked Trump’s rallies and criticized his false claims, including the unfounded accusation about immigrants in Ohio. Trump, visibly agitated, defended his rallies, denied involvement in the January 6 Capitol siege, and used the debate to argue for moving past his presidency.
