Harris and Trump sparred in the high-stakes showdown.
The first presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump turned into a heated matchup that lasted more than 90 minutes.
The night started with a handshake initiated by Harris, but quickly escalated as the vice president bashed Trump over his policies and comments, contending that it was time to "offer is a new generation of leadership for our country."
Trump criticized Harris throughout the debate on topics such as Afghanistan and immigration issues, drawing comparisons between the vice president and President Joe Biden.
With Election Day just eight weeks away, the debate came at a critical point as polls show a neck-and-neck race between the candidates.
From abortion to the economy, Israel and Gaza to fracking, border security to domestic crime, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump offered many plans and claims during the debate tonight.
Trump repeated a false claim that Haitian migrants are eating pets in Ohio, which the city in question has said is false. Harris claimed Trump will sign a national abortion ban if he is re-elected, which he has not said he will do.
Debate fact checker | Fact checking the Trump-Harris debate.
Harris and Trump met for their first presidential debate on Tuesday night. The consequential matchup was hosted by ABC News at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.
Read a transcript of what was said in the 90-minute debate here.
6abc Action News got an exclusive look at the stage where former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris will debate in Philadelphia.
The podiums are just a few steps from the moderators' desk - and from each other.
Sharrie Williams takes us inside the space that will be at the center of the political world on Tuesday night.
The verbal joust Tuesday night between Trump and Harris will touch on a range of issues, but none may be more important than the economy, which often ranks as the top priority among voters.
ABC News spoke to experts about what they will be watching for when the debate turns to the economy. They said they'll be looking for everything from the amount of substantive discussion, to the relevance of Biden's legacy, to the prevalence of topics like inflation and taxes.
Read more here to learn what to watch for on the economy during the match-up, according to experts.
At a campaign fundraiser Tuesday morning, Gov. Tim Walz said he knew what to expect from Trump during the debate, calling the former president a "showman," according to a pool reporter in the room.
"Donald Trump's a showman. This is his seventh general election debate. No one in modern times has done more of these. The good news is that this is his seventh debate and we know exactly what to expect," Walz said.
The June 27 presidential debate between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump was arguably one of the most consequential in modern history, catalyzing Biden's withdrawal from the race on July 21, less than a month later.
The contest has completely changed since then, with Vice President Kamala Harris ascending to the top of the ticket and surpassing Trump in the polls, signaling that she may be overcoming some of the deficits that voters saw in Biden's campaign.
Click here for a look at the latest polling from 538.
