ABC News Earns Praise for Fact-Checking in Trump-Harris Debate
Photo: SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty
ABC News successfully hosted the first presidential debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris on September 10, earning praise for its real-time fact-checking—a first in the Trump era. The network, which has previously faced accusations of favoring the Harris-Walz campaign, managed to pull off what many other outlets hadn’t: fact-checking on the spot during the debate.
Moderators David Muir and Linsey Davis were widely commended for their calm, controlled approach. They followed a set of rules similar to those used by CNN, including disabling the microphones of the non-speaking participants to avoid interruptions. This allowed each candidate to speak freely without being derailed.
Their moderation skills set a new benchmark, ensuring that the candidates stayed on topic. One notable moment was when Trump claimed that Haitian immigrants were eating people’s pets in Ohio—a statement refuted in real-time by the moderators. After Trump made the claim, Muir promptly corrected him: “I just want to clarify here, you bring up Springfield, Ohio.
And ABC News did reach out to the city manager there. He told us there have been no credible reports of specific claims of pets being harmed, injured, or abused by individuals within the immigrant community,” according to Slate. The moderators ensured that their fact-checking remained neutral and focused on the debate’s theme.
In another instance, Linsey Davis fact-checked Trump’s statement on abortion. When Trump claimed that babies were being aborted in Democratic states, Davis responded, “There is no state in this country where it is legal to kill a baby after it’s born.” She then invited Harris to respond, giving her the chance to clarify her stance on the issue.
ABC News had anticipated that Trump would repeat these familiar claims, given his past rallies. In preparation, the moderators thoroughly researched, interviewed sources, and fact-checked key talking points ahead of the debate.
Despite the positive feedback, MAGA supporters accused ABC of being biased against Trump. However, data showed that Trump spoke for a total of 43 minutes and 3 seconds, compared to Harris’s 37 minutes and 41 seconds, and the moderators corrected Trump only four times throughout the debate.
Although no further debates are scheduled, Fox News has proposed another, and Harris challenged Trump to a second round. Trump, however, seemed less inclined, telling AP News he had “a great night” and adding on Truth Social, “That was my best debate, EVER, especially since it was THREE ON ONE!” in reference to the moderators.
