Vice President Kamala Harris decisively outperformed Donald Trump during their first and potentially only debate on Tuesday night, using a series of well-placed jabs and prosecutorial baits to unsettle the former president, who struggled to keep his composure.

Harris, having prepared extensively, spent nearly the entire debate baiting Trump with comments designed to provoke him. She accused Trump of being mocked by world leaders and disgraced by military officials. She emphasized that Trump was rejected by 81 million voters—the number who supported President Joe Biden in 2020. “Clearly, he’s having a very difficult time processing that,” Harris said pointedly.

Trump was frequently off-balance, loudly asserting a range of falsehoods and conspiracy theories. He repeated debunked claims about widespread fraud in the 2020 election, floated bizarre ideas such as immigrants eating pets, and falsely alleged that Democrats supported post-birth abortions—a claim that is illegal and unsubstantiated.

Harris’s strategic jabs were effective. When she brought up Trump’s criminal convictions and ongoing legal issues, he visibly reacted. Her comments on Trump’s failure to pass a bipartisan immigration bill only made him more agitated. The vice president’s suggestion that Trump’s rallies were dull led him to choke on the bait, as he fixated on defending the size and excitement of his events, despite being pressed on more critical issues.

Throughout the debate, Trump exhibited erratic behavior. When ABC News moderator David Muir pointed out that city officials had denied Trump’s claim that migrants in Springfield, Ohio, were eating pets, Trump doubled down, referring to television reports and insisting, “We’ll find out.” Even as Muir attempted to redirect the conversation to immigration, Trump remained fixated on his rally sizes and debunked claims about the 2020 election.

On crime, Trump misrepresented data by claiming a rise in crime contrary to FBI statistics showing a decline. He attributed this to a supposedly corrupt FBI and argued that the Biden administration’s handling of the situation was flawed. Harris countered Trump’s criticisms by defending the Biden administration’s approach and accusing Trump of negotiating a weak deal on Afghanistan.

The debate also highlighted stark contrasts on abortion. Trump defended his appointment of Supreme Court judges who overturned Roe v. Wade, asserting it was a courageous act. He reiterated his support for abortion bans with exceptions, but Harris countered by illustrating real-world consequences of restrictive abortion policies. She spoke about women suffering due to denial of miscarriage care and criticized Trump’s arguments about abortion, pointing out that no state allows abortions after birth.

A significant moment came when Taylor Swift endorsed the Democratic ticket on Instagram, further boosting Harris’s position. Swift’s post, which referenced controversial remarks by Trump’s running mate, JD Vance, added to the momentum.

The debate’s opening featured Harris extending a handshake to Trump, marking the first time such a gesture was made since the 2016 debate between Trump and Hillary Clinton. While Trump focused on attacking Harris and defending his rally sizes, Harris maintained her composure, often laughing at Trump’s absurd claims and shifting the focus back to substantive issues.

Regarding global flashpoints, Trump offered minimal details on resolving conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine. He criticized Harris for allegedly disliking Israel and Arabs and claimed that under his presidency, conflicts like the Russia-Ukraine war wouldn’t have occurred. Harris, on the other hand, called for a ceasefire in Gaza and accused Trump of being manipulated by autocrats, pointing out that his fondness for international strongmen was well-documented.

In summary, Harris effectively used a mix of strategic baiting and sharp contrasts to overshadow Trump’s erratic performance. Her debate performance highlighted her preparedness and focus, in stark contrast to Trump’s often incoherent responses and repeated falsehoods.