Former President Donald Trump watched tonight’s debate from his plane en route to Houston, Texas. During the debate, he took to social media to criticize Tim Walz, the Democratic candidate. However, Trump privately praised his own vice presidential nominee, Vance, to those around him. His advisers were reportedly pleased with Vance's performance and celebrated it.
This positive reaction to Vance's debate performance stands in contrast to Trump's own debate against Vice President Kamala Harris in Philadelphia. During that debate, Trump's advisers were said to have cringed at various points and expressed concerns that it could potentially harm his chances in the upcoming election.
Despite the differing reactions to the two debates, the general consensus among Trump's inner circle is that the latest debate is unlikely to significantly impact the election outcome. However, they are content with Vance's strong showing and do not anticipate having to do damage control in the aftermath of the debate.
