**Trump’s claim about Nancy Pelosi and Capitol security on January 6: Trump claimed that Nancy Pelosi was responsible for Capitol security and had rejected his request for National Guard troops — which is exaggerated. While Pelosi does appoint one member of the Capitol Police Board, she does not have direct control over security. Furthermore, the House January 6 committee found no evidence that Trump requested 10,000 National Guard troops in advance (DW)(FactCheck.org).

**Harris on Trump inviting the Taliban to Camp David: Harris correctly stated that Trump invited Taliban leaders to Camp David. This meeting was planned for September 2019 but was later canceled by Trump after a U.S. service member was killed in Afghanistan (PolitiFact).

**Trump’s statement on inflation being the worst ever: Trump claimed the U.S. under Biden and Harris experienced the worst inflation in history. This is false. Inflation reached around 9% in 2022, which was the highest in 40 years, but not the worst ever. The highest year-over-year inflation rates in the U.S. were in the 1970s and 1980s (PolitiFact)(DW).

**Harris on unemployment under Trump: Harris claimed Trump left the U.S. with the worst unemployment rate since the Great Depression. This is misleading. Unemployment spiked to 14.8% during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, but it was a temporary spike caused by the global health crisis, not long-term economic mismanagement (DW).

**Trump’s claim about immigrants eating pets: Trump repeated a debunked rumor about immigrants eating pets in Ohio. Local authorities confirmed there is no evidence to support this claim, and it originated from unreliable social media posts (FactCheck.org).

**Trump’s claim that “millions and millions of people” are “pouring into our country monthly” and that the number is as high as 21 million is inaccurate and significantly exaggerated. Fact-checkers report that while there has been many migrant encounters at the U.S. border during Biden’s administration, the actual figures are much lower than Trump’s claims. In July 2024, there were around 56,000 Border Patrol arrests for illegal border crossings, far from “millions” per month. Over Biden’s entire presidency, there have been about 7.1 million border encounters, with many of these involving repeat crossers. Additionally, some encounters result in expulsions rather than admissions into the U.S. The total number of people allowed into the U.S. is closer to 3.8 million since Biden took office (PolitiFact)(Sentinel Colorado).

**Harris’s claim that Donald Trump would impose a “sales tax” that would cost middle-class families about $4,000 annually is partially accurate but requires more context. Harris’s figure is based on estimates of the impact of Trump’s proposed tariffs, which he has mentioned could range from 10% to 20% on imports, including a significant 60% tariff on Chinese goods.

Multiple analyses suggest that these tariffs could act similarly to a tax on consumers, as businesses would likely pass the costs onto customers. However, the actual financial impact on middle-class families varies depending on the specifics of the tariff. Estimates from sources like the American Action Forum and the Peterson Institute project that households could face additional costs ranging from $1,700 to $2,350 annually. A higher estimate from the Center for American Progress reaches around $3,900, but this assumes the highest tariff rates. Sources: (PolitiFact)

Thus, the idea of 21 million people arriving monthly, or any similar figure, is an enormous overstatement. Harris’s $4,000 claim is on the higher end of projections, making it “half true” according to fact-checkers, as the actual burden depends on how broadly and steeply these tariffs are implemented. These fact-checks reveal that both candidates made misleading or exaggerated statements during the debate. However, many of Trump’s claims, particularly regarding immigration and January 6, were significantly off base.