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After a widely criticized debate performance against Vice President Kamala Harris, Donald Trump made an unexpected appearance in the post-debate spin room, attempting to reshape the narrative of the night. One of his attorneys, Alina Habba, presented this move as a show of “leadership” in an attempt to downplay the backlash.
Trump was quick to praise his own performance, claiming that post-debate polling showed as many as 90 percent of viewers believed he had won. However, when asked where he got those numbers, the former president didn’t provide a source. Despite this, Trump’s attorney took to social media to frame his appearance as an act of strength. “No headphones in, and taking questions from all journalists,” Habba said in a post on X. “THAT is leadership. That is strength. Where’s Kamala?”
This comment quickly sparked reactions across social media. Many speculated that Harris, who had just secured the Democratic nomination, was celebrating her debate success elsewhere. Critics mocked the need for Trump to reappear after the debate, insinuating that his presence in the spin room was an attempt to clean up a poor performance.
“Laughing at your desperation,” commented Rick Wilson, co-founder of The Lincoln Project, in response to Habba’s post. Others chimed in with similar sentiments. Talking Points Memo chief Josh Marshall wrote, “At her victory party,” while legal analyst Jeffrey Evan Gold added, “Speaking to voters after crushing Trump.” Journalist Brian Karem noted bluntly, “She mopped the floor with him.”
Perhaps one of the most cutting responses came from Mike Harvey, a former Democratic candidate for Florida’s state Senate. He argued that Harris didn’t need to be in the spin room to explain her performance. “She doesn’t need to be in the spin room because she has nothing to spin,” Harvey stated. “Her performance spoke for itself. You probably should have run this tweet past a spox because it does your client a disservice.”
Comedian Jay Black took a humorous approach, referencing pop star Taylor Swift while poking fun at Trump’s appearance. “‘Where’s Kamala?’ Celebrating her victory with some Taylor Swift music, Alina,” Black wrote. “Winners don’t have to slouch into the spin room and desperately try to turn their flop sweat into wine.”
While Trump and his team worked hard to shift the post-debate narrative, many observers felt Harris had already decisively won the night.
