Trump’s interruptions and other highlights from the first US election debate
- Trump and Biden share a mutual dislike and they differed starkly in style and substance
- Two more debates are planned before Election Day on November 3
US President Donald Trump and his Democratic challenger, former vice-president Joe Biden, met in Cleveland on Tuesday for the first of three debates ahead of the November 3 election, when Trump is seeking a second term in office.
Here are takeaways from the match-up:
Trump’s taxes
Trump didn’t mince words when moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News asked him, point-blank, what he paid in federal income taxes in 2016 and 2017, after The New York Times reported that his tax returns showed only a US$750 payment in each year.
Offering no evidence, Trump said he had paid, “millions of dollars. And you’ll get to see it”, despite his refusal to release any returns since he became a candidate in 2015, breaking with decades of tradition.
“Show us your tax returns,” Biden interjected.
Trump attempted to walk a fine line, claiming he owed a hefty tax bill while also defending his efforts to pay as little taxes as possible – and blaming Biden and former president Barack Obama for helping him to do so via the tax code.