Harris Versus Trump 2024: A Platform Comparison

Since President Joe Biden dropped out of 2024's presidential race, voters are now faced with a new choice between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris. With Trump facing legal controversy and Harris's individual platform being relatively unknown, this year's decision appears to be muddled with confusion and uncertainty..Economy.Harris.The Biden-Harris administration has faced controversy for its handling of the economy, with inflation and consumer prices frustrating voters. As a response, the Harris campaign has attempted to create its own economic reputation, promising to decrease child poverty, strengthen labor unions, improve access to health resources, and enrich retirement programs. As a senator, Harris proposed a $6,000 tax credit for middle-class working families. During her 2020 presidential campaign, she advocated for a 35% corporate income tax rate. She also campaigned on the LIFT the Middle Class Act, which would have expanded the child tax credit and increased tax resources to low-income communities..On the issue of economic imbalance, Harris has advocated for equity over equality. During her 2020 presidential campaign, she posted a video stating, "there's a big difference between equality and equity. Equality suggests, 'oh everyone should get the same amount.' The problem with that, not everybody's starting out from the same place. So if we're all getting the same amount, but you started out back there and I started out over here, we could get the same amount, but you're still going to be that far back behind me. It's about giving people the resources and the support they need, so that everyone can be on equal footing, and then compete on equal footing. Equitable treatment means we all end up in the same place." As for how Harris would achieve this, she has not been specific..Trump.Trump's 2024 platform specifically endorses 5 pillars of economic policy:.1. Cut Regulations..2. Make Trump Tax Cuts Permanent..3. Fair and Reciprocal Trade Deals..4. Reliable and Abundant Low Cost Energy..5. Champion Innovation..As president, Trump would likely expand tariffs, cut taxes, deport illegal immigrant workers, reverse climate initiatives like those found in Biden's Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), and pressure the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates..He has recently made novel tax proposals, including eliminating the tax on tips, further reducing the corporate income tax, and entirely replacing the income tax with a universal import tariff. Specific policy proposals to achieve these goals have not yet been made and it is unclear whether Congress would support them..Abortion.Harris.Vice President Harris has made her support of abortion protections abundantly clear. When she ran for President in 2020, she proposed a federal policy to require DOJ approval for any state law restricting abortion. Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, such a law is no longer possible. This ruling greatly limits the President's ability to protect abortion rights. However, she has supported policies to promote abortion access in areas where abortion is legal and has worked with almost 200 state legislators to push state-level abortion protections. She has also condemned state laws restricting other forms of reproductive health care, such as in-vitro fertilization and contraception..When it comes to public support for abortion, Harris appears to be more enthusiastic than Biden. She was the first Vice President to tour an abortion clinic. She also appears much more comfortable speaking on abortion than Biden, who is a Catholic man. This will likely give her an advantage over Biden, as Pew Research finds that 63 percent of Americans believe abortion should be legal in all or most cases. Abortion protection is one of the Democrats' most popular positions, and Harris is better equipped than Biden to make this a key part of her platform..Trump.Trump, while certainly not as pro-abortion as Harris, takes a surprisingly liberal stance on abortion. In April, he stated he would not support a national abortion ban. Referencing the Dobbs decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, his 2024 platform reads "We believe that the 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States guarantees that no person can be denied Life or Liberty without Due Process, and that the States are, therefore, free to pass Laws protecting those Rights. After 51 years, because of us, that power has been given to the States and to a vote of the People." Here, Trump vaguely expresses support for states' rights to impose laws to restrict abortion. Later, however, he clarifies that he will oppose "late-term abortion." Importantly, Trump has not officially stated that he would support laws to restrict abortion before the third trimester. Further, Trump echos Harris's support for other forms of reproductive healthcare, saying he will support mothers and "policies that advance Prenatal Care, access to Birth Control, and IVF (fertility treatments).".On the other hand, Trump has repeatedly bragged about the overturning of Roe v. Wade, which was made possible by the three Supreme Court Justices he appointed during his first term. In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated, "After 50 years of failure, with nobody coming even close, I was able to kill Roe v. Wade, much to the 'shock' of everyone." This is an unpopular stance, as 57 percent of Americans disapprove of the Dobbs decision. In summary, Trump is proud of returning abortion control to the states but does not support all state-level restrictions..Russia.Harris.Harris seems to be on the same page as Biden when it comes to the Russia/Ukraine conflict. She has met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on multiple occasions, representing the Biden administration at the last three Munich Security Conferences. On June 15, she announced a $1.5 billion non-military aid package to Ukraine at an international summit. Recently, she has advocated for strengthening NATO to defend Europe from the Russian threat, saying, "Our commitment to build and sustain alliances has helped America become the most powerful and prosperous country in the world … to put all of that at risk would be foolish.".Harris has also criticized Trump's stance on NATO, specifically when the former president said at a February rally that he would "encourage them [Russia] to do whatever the hell they want" to members of NATO that don't meet the treaty's requirement that each member spend 2% of their GDP on defense. In June 2024, nine of the 32 member states were under this threshold. In response, Harris stated that, "the idea that the former president of the U.S. would say that he encourages a brutal dictator to invade our allies, and that the United States of America would simply stand by and watch — no previous U.S. president, regardless of party, has bowed down to a Russian dictator before." She went on to call Trump's statement "an example of something I just believe that the American people would never support.".Trump.Trump's 2024 platform makes no mention of Russia or Ukraine specifically, although the former president said on Truth Social earlier this year that Ukraine's "survival and strength" are important to the United States. In the same post, he criticized Europe for failing to match the amount of aid provided to Ukraine by the United States. Last Friday, Trump and Zelenskyy spoke over the phone regarding Ukrainian concerns of Trump's hesitancy to continue Biden's full support of Ukraine. Posting on Truth Social about this call, Trump said "I appreciate Zelenskyy for reaching out because I, as your next President of the United States, will bring peace to the world and end the war that has cost so many lives.".Trump's position, contrary to Kamala's, seems to be more focused on ending the war than picking a side. During a 2023 CNN town hall, Trump said "They're dying, Russians and Ukrainians. I want them to stop dying. And I'll have that done — I'll have that done in 24 hours." Trump's exact plan to end the war in 24 hours is unclear, and Russia's ambassador to the United Nations has said that this is impossible. Trump also maintains that the war would not have started if he had been reelected in 2020..As for his stance regarding NATO, Trump has promised to leverage U.S. membership to sway European nations to spend more money on their militaries. He argues that in its current state, with nine members not meeting spending requirements, NATO represents Europe leeching off of the United States. For more on Trump's NATO policy, read my analysis from earlier this month..Israel.Harris.Giving a speech after a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Kamala summed up her position on the Israel/Hamas conflict, saying, "Israel has a right to defend itself and how it does so matters." She emphasized her "serious concern about the scale of human suffering in Gaza, including the death of far too many innocent civilians." Harris has condemned Hamas's tactics on many occasions, including their use of human shields and sexual violence against civilians. However, she has publicly called on Israel to create a plan to de-escalate the war and spare civilian lives as the Gaza death toll has reached 39,000 people according to local sources, an estimated 70% of which were women and children. As president, she would likely put further pressure on Israel to put an end to the war..Harris is also sympathetic to young voters protesting the war, saying that they show "exactly what the human emotion should be, as a response to Gaza." On Wednesday, Harris did not show up to Netanyahu's remarks in Congress over which she was expected to preside. Her team said it was simply a scheduling conflict..Trump.Trump has taken a similar stance politically, but seemingly for a different reason. Trump, like Harris, has called on Netanyahu to put an end to the conflict as soon as possible. In an interview with Hugh Hewitt, Trump urged Israel to "get it over with, and get it over with fast, because we have to, you have to get back to normalcy and peace.".Trump's reasoning for wanting an end to the war is focused on Israel's own well-being. Trump argues that Israel was "getting decimated" by the negative publicity brought by the conflict. Trump said in the same interview, "And the other thing is I hate, they put out tapes all the time. Every night, they're releasing tapes of a building falling down. They shouldn't be releasing tapes like that. They're doing, that's why they're losing the PR war. They, Israel is absolutely losing the PR war.".In his 2024 platform, Trump reiterates his loyalty to Israel, saying, "We will stand with Israel, and seek peace in the Middle East. We will rebuild our Alliance Network in the Region to ensure a future of Peace, Stability, and Prosperity.".Despite both presidential candidates calling for a swift end to the war, Netanyahu pledged to Congress on Wednesday to continue fighting until Hamas is eradicated..China.Harris.Harris, like Biden and Trump, recognizes the global threat of China, saying during a 2020 presidential debate, "They steal our products, including our intellectual property. They dump substandard products into our economy. They need to be held accountable." However, due to China's important status as an an economic giant, Harris supports engaging in competition with China, rather than conflict..One key difference between Harris and Biden regards the tariffs levied on China during the Trump administration on products like semiconductors, medical goods, and raw steel. The Biden administration has kept the majority of these tariffs in place and even increased the rates of some tariffs. Harris, on the other hand, has opposed these tariffs, saying in an interview with CFR, "Donald Trump's protectionist approach has been a disaster." As an alternative, Harris appears to support a more diplomatic approach, saying, "I would work with our allies in Europe and Asia to confront China on its troubling trade practices, not perpetuate Trump's failing tariff war that is being paid for by hard-working Americans.".Harris has also condemned China's military posturing toward neighboring countries, specifically in the South China Sea with countries such as Taiwan and the Philippines. In 2022, she referred to China's treatment of Philippine vessels as "intimidation and coercion" and China's restricting Taiwanese access to the South China Sea as "bullying." Harris also defends Taiwan's national sovereignty and right to defend itself against China, saying she will "continue to oppose any unilateral change to the status quo." Additionally, she has promised to "continue to support Taiwan's self-defense, consistent with our long-standing policy.".Trump.Trump has taken a similarly tough stance on China. His platform calls for revoking China's Most Favored Nation status, which entitles China to preferential trade deals. He also promises to "phase out imports of essential goods, and stop China from buying American Real Estate and Industries." Trump has also promised to implement tariffs of at least 60% on every Chinese import..On Taiwan, Trump appears more hesitant than Harris. In July, he told Bloomberg news, "Taiwan should pay us for defense," stating that the United States' protection of Taiwan makes the US "no different than an insurance company." He also said that Taiwan has "done nothing" to pay America back for our defense commitment..Importantly, the United States does not officially recognize Taiwan as a nation and has no treaty obligation to defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion. This means that, if China invades Taiwan, the United States' response would depend greatly on who sits in the Oval Office..Energy/Environment.Harris.Harris appears to be more liberal regarding energy policy and climate change than Biden. During the 2020 presidential debates, she advocated for a ban on fracking, promised to support the Green New Deal, and called for an end to all federal support for fossil fuels. CORRECTION: As of August 1, Harris officially reversed her stance on fracking and clarified that she would not support a fracking ban as President..When she was nominated for Vice President in 2020, she clarified that the Biden-Harris administration would not implement these initiatives because Joe Biden did not support them. Now that she's running for President, Harris is free to make her own climate agenda, which will likely include the policies she advocated for back in 2020..As president, Harris would likely continue to implement provisions in the IRA which aim to encourage sustainable energy development. She would also prioritize environmental justice, defined by the Department of Energy as "just treatment and meaningful involvement of all people, regardless of income, race, color, national origin, Tribal affiliation, or disability, in agency decision-making and other Federal activities that affect human health and the environment.".Trump.In comparison, Trump seems to be more focused on increasing domestic oil and natural gas production to lower costs and create jobs. His platform commits to "lifting restrictions on American Energy Production and terminating the Socialist Green New Deal." Specifically, Trump would likely revert the Biden administration's ban on oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and resume construction of the Keystone XL pipeline..Trump also supports development of novel energy sources, such as nuclear energy. During his first administration, he increased funding and focus on the construction of new nuclear power plants and the innovation of new methods of nuclear energy production, like fusion..In his second term, Trump would also likely withdraw from the Paris Climate Accords, reverse incentives for Electric Vehicles, and resume Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) exports..Guns.Harris.In the wake of a failed assassination attempt on Trump, Harris has made gun control a key part of her campaign, saying, "we, who believe that every person should have the freedom to live safe from the terror of gun violence, will finally pass red flag laws, universal background checks, and an assault weapons ban." As San Fransisco District Attorney, she worked with Gavin Newson to draft some of the strictest gun control laws in the country. She also prevented pretrial release for individuals charged with gun-related crimes..During the Biden-Harris administration, she supported the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the first federal gun reform in nearly 30 years. The Biden administration also passed restrictions on ghost guns and pistol braces..As a presidential candidate in 2020, she was further to the left than most regarding gun control. Back then, she supported a mandatory buyback of all assault weapons. As Biden's VP, she scaled back some of these ideas. Running for president once again, Harris will likely return to her strict stance..Trump.Trump's 2024 platform commits to "defend our constitution, our bill of rights, and our fundamental freedoms, including freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and the right to keep and bear arms." No specific policies to protect these rights are mentioned..As President, Trump supported a surprising amount of gun control initiatives, including an administrative ban on bump stocks and expanding background checks. Both of these policies have been supported by the National Rifle Association..However, Trump and the NRA do not see eye-to-eye in every way. Trump has openly supported requiring background checks for all gun transfers, raising the minimum age to buy long guns, and preemptively confiscating guns from individuals deemed "dangerous." The NRA opposes all of these..A 2022 report from the New York Times found that Trump had pushed for other gun control measures in private. After a 2019 shooting in El Paso that resulted in 23 deaths, Trump asked his staff, "What are we going to do about assault rifles?" To this, Mick Mulvaney, his acting chief of staff at the time, responded, "Not a damn thing." When Trump asked why, Mulvaney's response was simple: "you would lose.".Immigration.Harris.Harris, Biden's 'border czar,' has faced criticism for the Biden administration's seemingly lackluster immigration reform. In 2023, the U.S. border patrol reported a record high number of illegal border crossings, opening up the United States to a steady flow of trafficked fentanyl and other counterfeit pharmaceuticals..Earlier this year, Harris called on Congress to pass border security legislation. The bill failed to pass in the Senate, and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson referred to it as a "policy proposal that would further incentivize illegal aliens to break our laws.".In response to the American opioid crisis, Harris gathered attorneys general from across the country to the White House to discuss preventing drug trafficking, increasing access to naloxone, and responding to the new threat posed by xylazine, a powerful animal sedative that has been found in replacement of, and in combination with fentanyl in street drugs..Harris has also committed to providing pathways to citizenship for immigrants, including DACA Dreamers and asylum seekers..Trump.Similar to his 2016 campaign, Trump has made the immigration crisis at the Southern border a key aspect of his 2024 platform. He has promised to "offer an aggressive plan to stop the open-border policies that have opened the floodgates to a tidal wave of illegal Aliens, deadly drugs, and Migrant Crime." He also wants to "end the Invasion at the Southern Border, restore Law and Order, protect American Sovereignty, and deliver a Safe and Prosperous Future for all Americans." As for illegal immigrants currently residing in the US, Trump will "invoke the Alien Enemies Act to remove all known or suspected gang members, drug dealers, or cartel members from the United States, ending the scourge of Illegal Alien gang violence once and for all.".Trump would also increase government access to resources to prevent illegal immigration, stating, "President Trump has completed Hundreds of Miles of Wall, and he will quickly finish the job. Republicans will mobilize Military personnel and assets as necessary to crack down hard on the cartels that traffic drugs and people into our Country.".As President, Trump implemented a law called Migrant Protection Protocols, which required asylum seekers to wait in Mexico for their immigration hearings. The Trump administration also maintained a "zero-tolerance" policy that allowed for the deportation of all adults attempting to illegally cross the border. This policy has since been criticized and reversed by Biden due to concerns of separating children from their parents..Social Security/Medicare.Harris.When she was a Senator in California, Harris supported the Social Security Expansion Act, which would have increased benefits for some recipients and increased taxes on wealthy Americans to continue funding the program. Harris would also likely expand the payroll tax to include higher income brackets, an idea that enjoys broad bipartisan support. As president, she has committed to increasing funding and access to Social Security and extend the program's lifespan. Specifically, Harris has backed Biden's plan to increase taxes on those making over $400,00 a year to keep Medicare solvent..Sabrina Corlette, a health policy expert and research professor at Georgetown University, predicts that Harris would also attempt to expand the Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare, by renewing the subsidies that fund it (which are set to expire in 2025). Corlette also expects Harris to expand Medicare coverage to dental, hearing, and vision for seniors. In 2019, Harris supported the Medicare for All Act, led by Bernie Sanders, which would effectively end private health insurance in favor of public coverage. As president, she would continue provisions in Biden's IRA that cap out-of-pocket drug costs for people on Medicare..Trump.Trump, like Harris, has committed to maintaining and extending Social Security and Medicare. In an interview with Breitbart, he said, "I will never do anything that will jeopardize or hurt Social Security or Medicare." Trump accuses Democrats of endangering these programs in his 2024 platform, saying "corrupt politicians have robbed Social Security to fund their pet projects." He goes on to say, "Republicans will protect Medicare's finances from being financially crushed by the Democrat plan to add tens of millions of new illegal immigrants to the rolls of Medicare.".Andrew Biggs, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, remarked just earlier this month that "Never before have the two parties' presidential candidates been closer in their positions on Social Security." Of course, Biggs was speaking about Trump and Biden. However, with Harris's position being nearly identical to Biden's, the same sentiment seems true of our new matchup.