Exclusive: House Republicans have privately expressed dissatisfaction with former President Trump's performance in Tuesday's debate with Vice President Kamala Harris.
Several Republican House members, speaking on condition of anonymity, acknowledged that Trump “missed an opportunity” to effectively attack Harris and tout her record. Several said the prevailing view within the House Republican Conference was that Harris successfully baited Trump on multiple occasions, but most argued that ultimately it will have little impact on Election Day.
“It's horrible, and I'm sure you're all seeing the same comments,” a senior House Republican leader told Fox News Digital.
“The worst part is he had multiple opportunities to go after her and he didn't. He got caught on the hook she was dragging through the water.”
There was a clear winner in the Trump-Harris matchup, but don't think the election is over.
US Vice President Kamala Harris and former US President Donald Trump attend the second presidential debate at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, Tuesday, September 10, 2024. (Getty Images)
Another House Republican went further, calling the debate a “dumpster fire” for the former president.
“It was some of the worst bloodshed I've ever seen,” the congressman said, “but the appearance is also a problem. Trump looks old next to Kamala Harris. He didn't look old in front of Biden… That can't be fixed.”
While most Republicans have downplayed the debate's ultimate impact on the election, one lawmaker worried that “I think it's going to sway some important moderates.”
“She certainly got on his nerves,” a third Republican said, with other Republicans agreeing, “She did a good job.”
Republicans who spoke to Fox News Digital argued that Trump's policies and record are far stronger than Harris' and they were disappointed that it didn't have a bigger impact on Trump's performance.
Harris tells Trump during debate that she's not going to run against Joe Biden
“He has a lot of [good] “She's managed to avoid any controversy,” a third Republican said. “We should stop treating her like Joe Biden, who can't express his views, and start treating her like Hillary Clinton.”
Asked about his reaction to the debate, a fourth Republican senator simply said: “I don't want to answer questions about cats, dogs or immigration.”
Several Republican lawmakers expressed private disappointment with Trump's performance. (Win McNamee)
But the person added that Harris “needed to present herself as someone with credibility and a policy agenda, and she didn't do that.”
But when asked whether Harris had successfully wooed Trump, he said that was Trump's “own responsibility.”
Another Republican senator said he had not discussed the debate with his GOP colleagues, explaining, “I think people are just disappointed.”
“They set a trap and he fell for it. He couldn't be helped, but there were plenty of easy things for him to say,” a fifth lawmaker said. “If he wanted to talk about the border, the world on fire, inflation, that was all he needed to say. Instead, she poked and prodded until she got a response.”
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A sixth Republican simply smiled sheepishly: “I think he definitely missed some opportunities to highlight her record, and I'll leave it at that.”
A seventh Republican, who spoke to Fox News Digital at the end of Tuesday night's debate, said Harris was “doing a good job of provoking him.”
“The policy is right, but the message can't be followed,” they complained.
But most House Republicans who spoke publicly praised Trump, and within minutes of the debate, the party's top leaders unanimously declared the former president the winner.
“Tonight, President Donald Trump revealed Vice President Kamala Harris for the dangerous extremist she has always been,” House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, said in a statement Tuesday night.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, like the majority of Republicans who spoke publicly, praised Trump's job performance. (Getty Images)
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), who helped prepare Trump for the debate, told reporters on Wednesday that Trump “did a great job.”
“The topics of discussion are immigration and the economy, issues on which President Trump has overwhelming support among voters,” he said.
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Trump himself posted on his Truth Social app immediately after the debate, “Everyone is saying big win tonight!”
When asked for comment on the matter, the Trump campaign referred Fox News Digital to a statement about Tuesday night's debate, which read, “President Trump delivered a masterful debate performance tonight, calling out Kamala Harris for her egregious record of failure that has hurt the American people over the past four years.”
“President Trump laid out a bold vision for America and demonstrated how he will continue the successes of his first term by revitalizing our economy, securing our border, and stopping the crime that ravages communities across the country,” the statement said.
“Conversely, Kamala's vision for America was a dark reminder of the repressive, big government policies of Joe Biden, which she wants to continue.”
