As Harris and Trump Debated, Social Media Engaged in Its Own Battle – By Reuters

By Stephanie Kelly

NEW YORK – As millions of Americans tuned in to watch the debate between Republican Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Kamala Harris on Tuesday night, another battle unfolded on social media platforms.

From the very start, Democrats quickly leveraged images and videos of Harris walking across the stage to greet Trump. One Twitter user humorously remarked, "Kamala said you’re gonna shake my hand dammit!" which garnered over 68,000 likes.

Advisers indicated that Harris aimed to provoke Trump into making statements that could easily go viral, a strategy that appeared to succeed during the debate. However, after the event concluded, Trump’s campaign and supporters swiftly claimed victory for the former president.

Harris’s varied reactions—ranging from bemusement to skepticism—as Trump dispelled a series of familiar falsehoods quickly inspired a wave of memes. Notably, when Trump mentioned a false claim about Haitian migrants in Springfield, Ohio, allegedly eating pets, the phrase "THEY’RE EATING THE DOGS" quickly trended online, with many users expressing confusion over its relevancy in a presidential debate.

In the aftermath, Harris gained significant online traction. Music star Taylor Swift posted to her millions of followers, "Like many of you, I watched the debate tonight… I’m voting for @kamalaharris because she fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them," which received over 4.3 million likes within just a couple of hours.

Political strategists note that social media’s role has become increasingly pivotal in this election cycle. Both major parties have engaged influencers to disseminate their policies and promote their candidates.

"(Social media) both reflects and shapes public opinion," remarked Shannon McGregor, an associate professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Though Trump boasts a significant advantage in follower counts, with 2.4 million followers compared to the Harris campaign’s 1.3 million on social media, Harris’s content has garnered over 100 million likes on TikTok, surpassing Trump’s 44 million.

TRUMP DECLARES ‘BIG WIN’

Following the debate, Trump and his supporters focused on his critique of Harris’ economic plan, which he called simplistic and derivative of President Biden’s agenda. Trump’s quip, "Run, Spot, run," referencing a classic children’s book, quickly gained momentum on social media.

Analysts noted that Harris effectively challenged Trump on several fronts, including abortion rights and his ongoing legal challenges. However, the Trump campaign maintained its narrative of victory, with Trump declaring on social media that it was a "big win," a post that quickly attracted nearly 30,000 likes.

Both campaigns issued statements claiming victory after the debate. Trump accused Harris of not meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a recent Congressional visit, suggesting she "wanted to go to the sorority party." In reality, Harris met with Netanyahu separately.

Supporters of Harris rallied on social media, using slogans like "sorority party to the polls." Meanwhile, a pro-Trump super PAC shared a series of celebratory videos post-debate, highlighting comments from voters who reflected positively on Trump’s presidency.