Neil Cavuto says Trump 'decisively lost' debate, ex-POTUS replies he actually prefers 'losers at CNN'
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA: Donald Trump didn’t take Fox News host Neil Cavuto’s stinging review of his presidential debate performance against Kamala Harris lightly.
The first debate between the Democratic and Republican presidential candidates took place in Pennsylvania on Tuesday, September 10.
Cavuto, known for his blunt commentary, didn’t hold back in his critique of the former president. On 'Cavuto: Coast to Coast', the Fox News host said that Trump “decisively lost” the debate.
Despite Trump’s attempts to highlight his economic points, Cavuto said, "It was all over the map," before adding, “This was that first occasion where it wasn’t just a close call. It was a lopsided one.”
Donald Trump fires back at Neil Cavuto’s critique
Unsurprisingly, Donald Trump was quick to respond to Neil Cavuto’s critique with a fiery post on Truth Social, branding the Fox News host as “one of the WORST on Television” and taking a jab at the network by stating he actually prefers the “losers at CNN and MSDNC.”
"Neil Cavuto, Fox’s Lowest Rated Anchor, is one of the WORST on Television. I actually prefer the losers at CNN and MSDNC!" Trump wrote in the post.
Cavuto’s harsh critique echoed what multiple polls had indicated— Trump’s performance which included spreading false claims about dogs being eaten and accusing his opponents of supporting the "execution" of babies after birth, failed to resonate with most viewers.
A YouGov poll found 54% of registered voters believed Harris came out on top, compared to just 31% for Trump. A CNN flash poll gave Harris an even wider lead at 63-37.
Donald Trump clings to unscientific polls claiming victory
Still, Donald Trump wasn’t backing down, citing a series of unscientific polls—ranging from X to Newsmax—in which 93% of respondents declared him the winner. Trump also claimed that Harris’s desire for a second debate is proof she “lost so badly.”
Following the debate, Harris’ campaign proposed a second debate in October, although no date has yet been confirmed. “Just look at the Polls!” Trump penned. “It’s true with prizefighters, when they lose a fight, they immediately want another.”
Donald Trump accuses Haitian migrants of 'eating pets'
The 90-minute debate, which was Donald Trump and Kamala Harris' first head-to-head clash since President Joe Biden withdrew from the race, covered a range of topics including the economy, abortion, immigration, and healthcare.
Trump repeated debunked claims that Haitian migrants were stealing and eating pets in Ohio. “In Springfield, they're eating the dogs, the people that came in,” the 45th president alleged. “They're eating the cats. They're eating the pets of the people that live there.” Harris, whose microphone was off at the time, appeared to mouth "What?" and shook her head in disbelief.
ABC's David Muir, one of the debate moderators, quickly fact-checked Trump, stating that the city manager and police in Springfield found "no credible reports" of such incidents.
Trump responded defiantly, saying, "We'll see," and insisted that he had seen reports on TV. When Harris’ mic was back on, she simply chuckled and remarked, "Talk about extreme."
Muir, alongside moderator Linsey Davis, faced criticism from Trump, who claimed on Truth Social that the moderators were biased against him. “I thought that was my best Debate, EVER, especially since it was THREE ON ONE!” he declared.
