(AFP) – Minutes after being hustled by Kamala Harris during their US presidential debate on Tuesday, Donald Trump appeared in front of reporters to get the last word. As the debate drew to a close, cries of surprise went up at the entrance to the press room. Trump had made an unexpected entrance to the “spin room,” where the candidates’ spokespeople and supporters usually hurry to distribute talking points to journalists. Cameras and microphones in hand, dozens of reporters crowded behind thin ribbons to get as close as possible to the former president.
“What about black voters?” a reporter asked, managing to stand out from the crowd. “I love them. They love me,” the Republican billionaire declared. Others tried to get his opinion on the 90-minute debate, during which 59-year-old Democratic candidate Harris had launched a relentless attack.
“I thought it was a great debate,” Trump said. “I thought it was my best performance, actually, but I don’t even view it as a performance,” he added. “Our country is in decline. We’re a nation in decline. And I thought that when we got that out, she was unable to defend it.” Trump walked around the room, trailed by reporters, and after fielding a few questions, he finally disappeared behind black curtains.
“The fact that he showed up in the media filing center and spin room at the end, we haven’t seen that in years,” said Aaron Kall, director of debates at the University of Michigan. “He wants to try to change the subject to something as quickly as possible.”
Both Trump and Harris will be back on the campaign trail on Wednesday, with less than two months left before the election. They will take part in separate ceremonies to honor the victims of the September 11, 2001, attacks.
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