Kamala Harris and Donald Trump visit Flight 93 memorial; a second debate is unclear; Joe Biden will be in Philly next week

Former President Donald Trump remained insistent that he won his Philadelphia debate with Vice President Kamala Harris as both candidates returned to Pennsylvania to commemorate the anniversary of Sept. 11 attack with visits to the Flight 93 National Memorial.

Following the previous night’s debate, Harris and Trump appeared together earlier in the day at a 9/11 memorial ceremony New York City alongside President Joe Biden and Trump’s running mate, U.S. Sen. JD Vance. The two presidential contenders had a “very polite” exchange, Trump told reporters.

They then returned to Pennsylvania for separate visits to Shanksville to mark the 23rd anniversary of the attack with visits to the memorial displaying the names of passengers and crew members who lost their lives when United 93 crashed in the Western Pennsylvania town.

The Harris-Walz campaign saw the most new volunteer sign ups in Pennsylvania on Tuesday since Vice President Kamala Harris launched her candidacy in July, according to the campaign.

More than 7,500 Pennsylvanians signed up to volunteer in the last 24 hours, 3,200 of whom are new volunteers, with the campaign noting an increase in volunteers who are women, according to the campaign. The new volunteer number grew after Harris' answers and rebuttals to former President Donald Trump on reproductive rights during the debate.

Additionally, more Pennsylvanians signed up for Harris campaign events on Tuesday than on any day of the campaign so far, which included 17,000 people registering to attend watch parties.

Former President Donald Trump said he was open to another debate with Vice President Kamala Harris if it is hosted by NBC or Fox News.

Trump reiterated his remarks on Truth social — that he didn’t believe he needed a rematch after his performance last night — but would be willing to debate Harris again.

Trump's campaign has said that he would attend a proposed NBC debate tentatively scheduled for Sept. 25.

Former President Donald Trump questioned "why would I do a Rematch?" on Truth Social Wednesday after Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign proposed a second presidential debate in October immediately after Tuesday's debate — which was largely seen as a win for Harris.

Trump, who comes from the world of WWE and celebrates support from UFC CEO Dana White, said on Truth Social Wednesday that "In the World of Boxing or UFC, when a Fighter gets beaten or knocked out, they get up and scream, “I DEMAND A REMATCH, I DEMAND A REMATCH!” Well, it’s no different with a Debate."

The former president also falsely claimed "Every Poll" has him "WINNING" echoing what he said in the spin room. In one case, Trump says, a poll has him winning the debate 92-8. In the spin room, he did not respond to a question from a reporter about where he got those numbers.

So, how did the Harris campaign mastermind the release of branded friendships an hour after Taylor Swift posted her endorsement to social media?

By moving swiftly, confirmed a spokesperson for the Harris Walz campaign told The Inquirer.

The two-packs of adjustable blue beaded friendship bracelets that spell out “Harris Walz 24” were “decided on and built out in 20 minutes,” the spokesperson said, underscoring that Swift’s endorsement was “completely organic” and took the campaign by surprise.

Former President Donald Trump may have had a tough night in Philadelphia, but residents on the 30-minute drive between Johnstown and Stoystown, where the Flight 93 Memorial is located, gave him a warm welcome.

Trump was home, in one of the rural parts of Pennsylvania now called Trump Country.

Laborers in hard hats stood along the road to watch the motorcade go by, while other workers waved flags and signs supporting Trump. A sign business used its digital billboard to welcome Trump, while the employees waved a Trump flag outside. At least a dozen homes along the corn-field-strewn route had Trump signs in their yards.

Former President Donald Trump has arrived at the Flight 93 National Memorial.

He was met with applause and cheers from the Shanksville crowd despite most of the day being quiet and solemn.

Trump's appearance follows the departure of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, who both participated in a wreath-laying ceremony.

During Tuesday's presidential debate, Donald Trump used the town of Springfield, Ohio, as an anecdote for immigrants committing crimes.

He was referencing the death of Aiden Clark, the 11-year-old boy who was killed in a car crash. The driver of the minivan that hit the bus Clark was in is Haitian. Trump and his running mate, JD Vance, have both brought up Clark before on their campaign trail and in ads.

"[Immigrants] are taking over the towns. They're taking over the buildings. They're going in violently," Trump said. "They’re dangerous. They’re at the highest level of criminality.”

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris traveled separately to the site, according to pool reports, with Marine One landing near the actual memorial site and Harris flying into Johnstown-Cambria airport.

Her motorcade route through the site wound through thick corn fields and wooded, rolling hills of rural Pennsylvania, a route dotted with “Trump 2024” yard signs, according to the pool.She passed large billboards that read “Vote Republican,” “Jesus Love Trump” and “America Must End Abortion.”

It was their second memorial stop of the day, beginning at Ground Zero this morning and ending with a stop at the Pentagon later today.

Six people were issued citations and one person was arrested Tuesday night during protests outside the National Constitution Center, where the first and possibly only presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump was taking place, police said.

The six people who were detained were issued code violation notices for failure to disperse, police said. A code violation is the equivalent of a ticket that will not create a criminal record, but may include a fine. The Philadelphia District Attorney’s office does not handle such cases.

One person was arrested and charged with failure to disperse, recklessly endangering another person, and risking catastrophe, police said.

Disappointed, but not surprised. That’s how former President Donald Trump framed his response to Taylor Swift’s viral endorsement of his opponents.

While speaking via phone with Fox News on Wednesday morning, Trump said he thinks the pop star would “pay a price” for endorsing Kamala Harris and Tim Walz.

“I was not a Taylor Swift fan. It was only a matter of time,” Trump said. “She’s a very liberal person. She seems to always endorse a Democrat and she’ll probably pay a price for it in the marketplace.”

ABC News moderators David Muir and Linsey Davis are being widely praised by media pundits for their calm, level-headed approach to Tuesday night’s debate in Philadelphia. 

A big question heading into the debate was whether the moderators would fact check false claims, after CNN moderators Jake Tapper and Dana Bash didn’t push back during that network’s debate between former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden in June. ABC News senior producer Marc Burstein told The Inquirer the moderators’ job was to keep the conversation going and would fact check only “if it’s necessary.” 

They found it necessary five times. It began early with Davis, a South Jersey native, correcting Trump’s false claim about a Democratic governor supporting the execution of babies after they were born. 

The German Foreign Office fired back at Trump’s allegation during Tuesday’s debate that the European country is now building “normal power plants.” The former president contended that Germany’s planned exit from fossil fuels had failed.

“Like it or not: Germany’s energy system is fully operational, with more than 50% renewables,” the foreign office wrote on social media platform X. “And we are shutting down – not building – coal & nuclear plants. Coal will be off the grid by 2038 at the latest."

Data released in March showed Germany’s greenhouse gas emissions dropped by one-tenth last year as the use of coal and gas diminished. Germany aims to cut its emissions to net zero by 2045 and is working to ramp up the use of solar and wind power and other renewable sources.

President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris were joined by former President Donald Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance (R., Ohio) at a 9/11 commemoration ceremony at Ground Zero in New York City Wednesday morning.

Biden and Harris are scheduled to travel together to Shanksville, Pa. to attend a wreath laying ceremony at the Flight 93 memorial at 12:45 p.m. Joining them will be Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro.

Trump is also expected to visit the memorial today, but his campaign hasn't announced any details.

It remains unclear if Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump will debate again before Election Day on Nov. 5.

Immediately following Tuesday night's debate in Philadelphia, the Harris campaign said it would welcome a second meetup with Trump.

“Under the bright lights, the American people got to see the choice they will face this fall at the ballot box: between moving forward with Kamala Harris, or going backwards with Trump,” Harris campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon said in a statement. “That’s what they saw tonight and what they should see at a second debate in October. Vice President Harris is ready for a second debate. Is Donald Trump?”

Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump’s schedules will pick back up in earnest following Tuesday’s debate in Philadelphia, with both campaigns making several stops in battleground states around the country this week.

On Wednesday, both Harris and Trump are slated to attend remembrances of the Sept. 11 terror attacks, which happened 23 years ago. Harris will appear with President Joe Biden at the World Trade Center site in New York City; the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, Pa.; and the Pentagon in Arlington, Va., the White House has announced.

Trump will reportedly visit the 9/11 Memorial and a New York City fire station, as well as the Flight 93 National Memorial, according to The Hill.

Kamala Harris directly took on Donald Trump from the beginning of the night, casting the former president as the extreme candidate and goading him by talking about issues known to irk him, like supporters leaving his rallies early, world leaders calling him a “disgrace,” and noting the criminal cases against him. She called him “weak,” and said 81 million voters had fired him. “Clearly he’s having a very difficult time processing that,” she said.

On several occasions, Trump took the bait and lashed out, even with his microphone muted (though the moderators turned on his mic nearly every time he interjected).

In an early example, after Harris mentioned that “people start leaving his rallies early,” moderators asked Trump about immigration.

Former President Donald Trump used the first question of Tuesday’s presidential debate against Vice President Kamala Harris as an opportunity to pivot to his signature issue of immigration. And he shared falsehoods.

“You look at Springfield, Ohio. You look Aurora in Colorado,” Trump said while responding to a question about the economy. “They are taking over towns. They are taking over buildings. They are going in violently. These are the people that she and Biden let into our country.”

Trump appeared to be referencing recent conservative media narratives about immigrants taking over an apartment building in Aurora, Colo., and eating pets in Springfield, Ohio. Both claims have been debunked.

Next month, it will be Minnesota Gov. Walz and Ohio Sen. JD Vance stepping onto the debate stage.

The two vice presidential candidates will face off on Oct. 1 in New York City in a debate hosted by CBS News.

As with Tuesday’s event, CBS will turn to two moderators for the vice presidential debate — CBS Evening News anchor Norah O’Donnell and Face the Nation moderator Margaret Brennan.

Few things could compete with the newsworthiness of the first and possibly only debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump Tuesday. Those things include an endorsement from Taylor Swift.

The Pennsylvania-native pop megastar endorsed Harris in an Instagram post shortly after the debate ended.

”I think she is a steady-handed, gifted leader and I believe we can accomplish so much more in this country if we are led by calm and not chaos,” Swift wrote.