after a combative presidential debate with Democratic vice president Kamala Harris former US president Donald Trump told journalist it had been his best debate during the heated exchange Harris put Republican Trump on the defensive with a stream of attacks on multiple issues as both candidates sought a campaign altering moment in their closely fought election a former prosecutor Harris appeared to get under the former president's skin repeatedly prompting a visibly angry Trump to deliver a series of falsehood filled rets despite all that Trump believed his performance at a debate had been his best so far truth I say the truth if I lose votes or gain votes I don't care but this was my best debate I thought it was very good I thought she was very weak on foreign policy she was very weak on the border and uh I'm very happy with with eight weeks to go before the election and days until early voting starts in some states the debate the only one scheduled presented both opportunities and risk for each candidate in front of a televised audience of tens of millions of Voters