U.S. Involvement in Ukraine and Israel According to the September 10th Presidential Debate
“And I want to ask you a very simple question tonight. Do you want Ukraine to win this war?”
“I want the war to stop. [...]”
“Just to clarify the question, do you believe it’s in the U.S. best interests for Ukraine to win this war? Yes or no?”
“I think it’s in the U.S. best interest to get this war finished and just get it done. All right. [...]”
56 days out from what may be the most consequential election in American history, citizens tuned in to watch presidential nominees Donald Trump and Kamala Harris in their first debate on September 10.
With conflicts unfolding in Palestine and Ukraine, the candidates were drilled on their platforms regarding foreign involvement, a subject typically nonessential to voters more focused on domestic issues. However, polls from this election suggest voters are increasingly concerned with American affairs overseas.
As the spotlight shined on the candidates' differing foreign policy platforms, inequality between the candidates' diplomatic comprehension was highlighted.
Vice President Harris began the conversation regarding efforts in Palestine with a reiteration of her support for a two-state solution, prioritizing Israel’s “ability to defend itself.”
Donald Trump’s position on the Israel-Hamas conflict was murky.
Rather than explain his administration’s policies regarding Israel and Palestine, former President Trump rambled about how Vice President Harris “hates Israel,” and that when he was president, Hamas had “no money for terror.”
How Trump would reassess U.S. involvement in Gaza was not explained further.
The discourse of the debate traveled from conversations of hostages in Gaza to discussions regarding aid packages sent to Ukraine.
Harris utilized her allotted response time to reiterate her involvement in collaborating with other states to send aid to Ukraine supporting defense against Russia. However, she did not miss the opportunity to goad Trump into discussing his friendly relations with Vladimir Putin.
The allusion to Trump’s bond with Russian leadership spiraled into one key takeaway: Trump refused to agree that it was in his best interest or the best interest of the United States for Ukraine to win the war.
Trump’s concepts of a foreign policy plan paled into Kamala Harris’ eloquent responses, sharing her administration’s platforms with concerned citizens. The former president’s evasiveness has hurt him in the polls, allowing Harris to regain a slight lead.
Following Trump’s disastrous performance on September 10, it is clearly in American’s best interest to consider the global implications of their vote before casting a ballot this November.