TV duel Walz vs. Vance "Kamala Harris gives us another option" - "We need change"

Showdown in New York: After the TV duel between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, Democrat Tim Walz faced off against Republican JD Vance. Here is the transcript of the TV duel.

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4.49 pm

End of the TV duel

JD Vance and Tim Walz shake hands and talk briefly. What a difference to the Harris vs. Trump duel!

4.48 pm

Closing arguments

Tim Walz thanks the audience and talks about the "coalition" that supported Harris and included Republicans. "Freedom really means something," and that refers to several policy areas. Vance stands for Trump's policies. "Kamala Harris gives us another option." America should not be afraid: "Harris brings us policies of joy and real solutions for the middle class. I kindly ask for your vote for Kamala Harris."

Vance talks about how the U.S. is having more trouble paying for heat and putting food on the table. Harris promises to fix these problems from day one, but she's been in the driver's seat for three and a half years. The USA is the best country, but the American Dream cannot be lived. "We need change. Please vote for Donald Trump."

4.38 pm

The topic of democracy

Was there cheating in the last election? Vance said he didn't recognize the last election. Is there a rerun? Vance says people should be able to talk peacefully about the last election. Trump wants nothing else. He believes democracy is under threat. But through censorship. "Big tech is silencing citizens." You have to be able to discuss and persuade, while Harris' censorship is the greatest threat to freedom.

Walz says they had a lot in common during the discussion, but now it was becoming dangerous. He recalls January 6. "Democracy is bigger than winning an election," says the Democrat. "And the words of a president are important," he adds, referring to Trump. After the election, both parties should shake hands.

Vance thinks it is a strong play that Trump would have passed the baton after the last election, but is now being portrayed as a danger to democracy. Walz says he doesn't understand how it could have come to this, but censorship only exists when books are banned. "Here we are miles apart." He asks directly: "Did Trump lose the election?"

Vance dodges and goes on the counterattack: "Has Big Tech silenced the majority?" Things get heated. "You're shouting fire in a crowded theater," says Walz. He said he was shocked that people were arguing about January 6 again. "Why isn't Mike Pence on this stage?"

4:29 p.m.

Parenthood issue

How does Walz plan to implement maternity or paternity leave? He did in Minnesota, the Democrat says. The details would have to be discussed by the states.

Vance believes a bipartisan solution is possible. Being a working mother is hard even for his "beautiful wife", who is still well off, he says. "We need a family model that allows for choice." This does not have to be run by the state, but could also be organized in communities.

When it comes to how Vance wants to pay for this, he points out that Trump wants to generate a lot of revenue that would allow measures such as maternity leave. Walz says he doesn't think he and Vance would be that far apart.

4.21 p.m.

Health issue

Donald Trump has the "concept of a plan" on the subject. What kind? Vance says Trump can't present a 900-page program at the TV duel. Under Trump, drug prices have only risen by 1.5 percent. Today it is more. Trump brought transparency to the system and gave the states more leeway when he was president. Obamacare also only worked under him.

Walz countered that Trump had said from the outset that he wanted to overturn Obamacare and had even wanted to take this to court. Under the Republicans, people with pre-existing conditions would get into trouble. "What they're saying is: if you're healthy, why are you paying more?" That would exclude others who are old or sick.

Vance says he just wants the market to work better. Obamacare would have "collapsed under its own weight". Trump has solved the problem. Inflation has been lower. Walz disagrees. Without solidarity, the system would not work. It was Harris who lowered drug prices through negotiations.

4.14 p.m.

Housing issue

Four million apartments and houses are missing in the USA: what to do? Walz says the problem is that there are a lot of speculators in this area. However, buying a house must be supported. The state could help with interest rates, but immigrants should not be blamed for the situation.

Vance agrees with Walz that immigrants are not to blame. It's Harris. Walz looks up in astonishment. And Vance closes the circle by pointing out that Harris let illegal immigrants into the country. "The American Dream is completely unaffordable." If the shackles were taken off the energy industry, prices would also fall. Furthermore, the state should buy land that is not being used to build more.

Walz can respond to the migrant issue. That unused land does not exist very often. "It's there for a reason, it's our land." This should not be speculated on. "Who says it's the migrants' fault?"

Vance replies that there is a study to that effect. Harris wants to throw people in jail for doing what she said. Real estate would become an object of speculation because it would be given to migrants en masse.

4:05 p.m.

Gun issue

Vance opposes stricter gun laws. Most recently, parents of a teenage shooter would have gotten jail time. Vance responds that he doesn't know the individual case, but wants to speak as a father of three. "We have to do better," he says. The question is how?

90 percent of gun violence is done with illegal weapons, which brings him back to the "open" border. "I think, unfortunately, we need to increase security in schools. We need to make our schools safer."

Walz says no parent wants to experience a shooting like that. His 17-year-old son had experienced something like that. The Second Amendment, which allows gun ownership, must be protected. But the other side is opposed to the simplest restrictions. "We owe it to [the children] to fix this."

Vance addresses Walz directly. He had no idea that his 17-year-old had witnessed such a thing. There is humanity in the discussion.

3.54 p.m.

The topic of abortion

The topic moves everyone, says Walz. He recalls Trump's joy when Roe v Wade was overturned and how that affected the states. In his state of Minnesota, women have embraced the new rules. The other side, however, wanted to tighten the rules on abortion further. It is about "fundamental rights".

Does Vance want to introduce a "register for pregnant women"? Vance says he wants to "proudly protect innocent life" and that his party stands for the family. He wants to make it easier for women to have children and give them more options. "Let the voters decide, let the states make the rules."

Walz tells of a woman who lost her life because she had to travel to another state for treatment. Roe v Wade would have to be restored. "I agree with a lot of what Vance says. His running mate does not." He is not "pro-abortion," he said, but "pro-women."

Vance takes up the example and expresses sympathy. Then a war of words begins about what rights and duties doctors have in certain situations.

3:44 p.m.

Topic of Trump

Vance is asked about previous negative comments about Trump. "I was wrong," he says. Trump had delivered. "There were a lot of things I didn't think he could do." That is why he gives many interviews to explain what has changed. More could have been done on the border or tariffs.

3.41 p.m.

Walz on the defensive

Walz has to explain himself: It's about false information about a stay in China in 1989, which he says was due to a slip of the tongue. He makes mistakes, he admits.

Vance smiles.

3.38 p.m.

Topic of finances

Walz talks about a program to build houses. He talks about drugs that have become cheaper. He talks about tax breaks for the rich that Trump has enacted. But they would have to pay their share.

Vance counters that what Walz is saying sounds good, but Harris had the opportunity to act accordingly. "Life for the middle class is unaffordable." Prices have risen under Harris. Trump has often been attacked by academics, but under him there has only been 1.5 percent inflation. "He has delivered." Trump's tax cuts have benefited the middle class and triggered a boom. "I know many of you are struggling financially."

Walz replied that it was strange that the other side never relied on experts. "Why is it fair that you guys pay your taxes and Trump hasn't for the last 15 years?"

Vance replies that there would be no more jobs in the US if people had listened to the experts. "They were wrong." Only Trump would have had the "courage" to bring such jobs back. Medicines for Americans were being made in countries that hated the USA.

"I don't want to outsource manufacturing. I'm a union guy." The rhetoric of his opponent is good, but in practice things are different. Harris had created 250,000 new jobs.

Vance responds that Walz has a "tough job" because he has to defend Walz's economy.

3.29 p.m.

Intermezzo

The moderators say the Haitians in Springfield are legal immigrants. Vance wants to say something about this and takes the floor. The discussion gets a little confused, the microphones are turned off and the candidates are reminded that there are still a lot of topics to discuss.

3.27 pm

The topic of migration

Vance is asked how the authorities should help with the issue. "We have to stop the bleeding," says the Republican. Drugs are coming across the border with the migrants. That's why the wall needs to be built. Criminal migrants, among whom there are one million offenders, must be deported. There are 320,000 lost children, Vance continued. They are used or abused for drug smuggling.

Is Kamala Harris letting drugs in? "Most of us want to solve this," says Walz. That's why there was a bipartisan bill, he says. "Border control says: we need this." There would have been 1500 new border guards, but Trump prevented the law from being passed. "Donald Trump had four years to do it." But only 20 percent of his wall has been built and "Mexico hasn't paid a cent".

Vance countered that Harris had enabled Mexican drug cartels to operate freely in the USA. Kamala Harris had boasted that she would roll back Trump's border measures. Only now is she pretending to care about the issue. This is causing "massive problems in America."

What does Walz say about the fact that many support mass deportations? He counters that the Republicans are demonizing migrants - as they did in Springfield, Ohio. "When that becomes a talking point, we dehumanize these people."

Vance may reiterate the need to empower border agents. In Springfield, he said, there are schools and hospitals that are overburdened. The "American citizens" have problems that Harris has caused.

3.18 p.m.

Climate change

What is Trump doing about climate change? Vance talks about the current Hurricane Helene: the damage needs to be rebuilt. On climate change, he says Trump and he are in favor of clean water and clean air. But: "We are the cleanest economy in the world." Further investment should be made in this.

Walz also addressed the hurricane victims. Walz recalled that Trump called climate change a "hoax". The Democrats, on the other hand, had created new jobs with green policies. Never has so much clean energy been produced. "Climate change is real." You can see that the USA is becoming an "energy power".

Vance accuses Walz of throwing money at Chinese manufacturers of solar systems. The money should be invested in the USA. Walz is allowed to reply that it is farmers who are now suffering the most as a result of the hurricane. There are measures in place to protect their infrastructure.

3.09 p.m.

Let's start with Israel

The topic is the Iranian missile attack from Israel: would Walz support an Israeli pre-emptive strike? Walz recalls October 7 and says the hostages must be freed. The USA must stand by Israel, and now it needs US leadership. The soon-to-be 80-year-old Donald Trump could not achieve this, while Harris was the unifying element. Trump is more concerned with North Korea and Russia.

Vance first thanked him, spoke about his Iraq mission, in which he took part, and said that he wanted to convince people that Trump would bring more leadership back into the White House. Trump had known how to deter, his motto had been "peace through strength". A pre-emptive strike is a matter for Israel.

Walz is allowed to speak out again: Trump had broken off the dialog with Iran, which had brought Tehran closer to the nuclear bomb.

Vance counters: "Who has been the vice president for the past three and a half years?" October 7 took place under Kamala Harris, he said. "Donald Trump has done it before."

2:56 p.m.

Who is running against whom?

Democrat Walz did not have a strong national profile until his appointment as Harris' running mate, but has recently made a name for himself with his direct way of conveying political messages. Vance is expected to win the votes of the working class in particular for Trump. His controversial statements, including derogatory remarks about childless people, have already made headlines during the election campaign.

2.49 pm

The countdown is on

There are no opening speeches or a studio audience, similar to the duel between Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris and her Republican opponent Donald Trump.

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