Donald Trump suggests Philly presidential debate won’t be fair, questions Kamala Harris’ intelligence and warns of ‘World War III’ at Fox News town hall in Harrisburg

Former President Donald Trump made an unfounded claim of a nation in peril at a pretaped Fox News town hall in Harrisburg Wednesday, suggesting that “we’re heading into World War III territory” unless he is elected because “everybody was afraid of Trump.”

Trump fielded questions from Fox News anchor Sean Hannity at the New Holland Arena for about an hour, in front of a friendly audience that resembled those at any of Trump’s signature rallies. Trump and Hannity discussed immigration, the economy, and international relations, among other topics in a session that aired Wednesday night.

The former president was scheduled to take questions from the audience, but time ran out for Wednesday night’s program with Trump often rambling in response to many of Hannity’s questions. In a second part of the town hall, set to air Thursday night, Trump answered five prescreened audience questions, including one from Dave McCormick, the Trump-endorsed Pennsylvania Republican Senate candidate, the New York Times reported.

Trump made personal criticisms of his opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, and celebrated support from Hungary Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, an authoritarian far-right conservative who has garnered praise from Trump.

“They said he’s a strongman, sometimes you need a strongman,” Trump said to applause.

The town hall marks Trump’s 10th visit to Pennsylvania this year, including one where he survived an assassination attempt in Butler, and his second visit to the commonwealth in less than a week. Last Friday, Trump held a rally in Johnstown, where he responded to backlash from a campaign incident at Arlington National Cemetery and said that he looks forward to debating Harris in Philadelphia on Tuesday.

Leading up to the debate, Harris’ team has also been prioritizing campaign events in Pennsylvania, where she and Trump are in a dead heat in the crucial battleground state. Harris campaigned with President Joe Biden in Pittsburgh on Labor Day, and Democratic vice presidential nominee Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz embarked on his first solo trip to the commonwealth Wednesday. Harris returned to Pittsburgh on Thursday.

“There has never been enthusiasm like we have now,” Trump said at the town hall, adding that he finds a tight race “hard to believe.”

It was the night Trump had originally proposed for a Fox News presidential debate, but Harris declined to participate. So, Trump began to set the stage for next week’s debate at the National Constitution Center by suggesting it will be set up to favor Harris.

Here are the main takeaways from Trump’s Fox News town hall:

In an attempt to sow doubt in the fairness of next week’s presidential debate, Trump falsely claimed that ABC, which he referred to as “the worst network,” would provide Harris with the debate questions in advance.

Neither the candidates nor their campaigns will receive any questions or topics in advance, according to the debate rules — agreed to by both candidates — ABC announced Wednesday.

The candidates’ microphones will be muted when they’re not speaking and the debate will be presented without a live audience, ABC said.

Among the other rules, candidates will be allocated two-minute answers to questions, two-minute rebuttals, and one extra minute for follow-ups, clarifications, or responses. Harris and Trump will also not be permitted to ask questions of each other.

Additionally, the candidates will stand behind their podiums for the duration of the debate, are not allowed to bring prewritten notes on stage, and will not be making opening statements, ABC said in a news release. Harris and Trump will have two minutes for closing statements. Trump will be making the final closing statement, choosing his spot after winning a coin toss, ABC said.

During the Fox town hall, Trump once again lambasted ABC anchor George Stephanopoulos, against whom Trump has ongoing litigation. Hannity said he wants to moderate Tuesday’s debate instead of the “George Stephanopoulos network.” Stephanopoulos will not be moderating the debate.

Similar to his other visits to Pennsylvania, especially in areas with large populations of working-class voters, Trump has disparaged Harris’ flip-flopping on fracking, which is an important industry in Pennsylvania.

“If she won, you’re not going to have any fracking in Pennsylvania,” Trump said.

“Trump’s false claims about fracking bans are an obvious attempt to distract from his own plans to enrich oil and gas executives at the expense of the middle class,” a spokesperson for the Harris campaign said.

Harris previously supported a ban on fracking, but upon becoming President Joe Biden’s running mate in 2020, she backed away from that position. In 2024, she no longer supports a ban, solidifying that point during her CNN interview last week — “we are in 2024 and I’ve not changed that position nor will I going forward. I’ve kept my word and I will keep my word.”

“You can’t take the chance,” Trump said Wednesday of Harris’ position on fracking. “You have no choice, you’ve got to vote for me … even if you don’t like me.”

At his Johnstown rally last week, Trump said, “I will tell Pennsylvania to drill, baby, drill,” echoing what has become something of a slogan for him and running mate Sen. JD Vance (R., Ohio.). “We’re going to drill, baby, drill.”

Trump took jabs at Harris’ economic stances Wednesday and said the U.S. will be in a “1929-style depression” if Harris is elected president.

“If that’s going to happen, go out and open an appraisal company because you’re going to make a fortune,” Trump said. “That’s about the only group that’s going to make it. And accountants.”

Trump also touted his 2017 tax cuts, which he is expected to revive if he’s elected.

“While Donald Trump has never had to worry about the cost to fill up his gas tank or heat his home, Vice President Harris is actually fighting to bring costs down so families don’t just get by, but get ahead,” said Onotse Omoyeni, the Harris campaign’s Pennsylvania Rapid Response director.

“She’ll keep fighting to crack down on Big Pharma and corporate landlords raising prices on working people, unlike Trump, who will just keep giving them handouts even as they rip off Pennsylvania families,” Omoyeni added.

Pennsylvania’s economy has not experienced the same post-pandemic rebound as other parts of the country. With the economy being a top issue for Pennsylvania voters, this could pose a problem for Harris as voters have said they trust Trump more with the economy, though his advantage is slipping.

In the last month, Harris has rolled out several economic proposals, vowing to ban grocery price gouging, provide a subsidy for first-time homebuyers, make a $40 billion investment in affordable housing, and expand the child tax credit.

Trump has promised to lower inflation via executive order, increase U.S. oil drilling, and reduce energy prices. The former president is also expected to implement a tariff of at least 10% on imported goods.