During the debate that took place Tuesday evening, Vice President Kamala Harris was accused of being dishonest about her stance on the issue of gun confiscation. David Muir of ABC News, who was moderating the debate, did not challenge her claims, letting them stand uncorrected.
Former President Donald Trump challenged Harris, accurately pointing out her support for mandatory buyback programs as a method for gun confiscation. The Vice President argued that she herself is a gun owner and has no plans to confiscate firearms from anyone.
Previously, in 2020, both David Muir and Joe Biden had criticized Kamala Harris for expressing a desire to implement an Executive Order aimed at disarming the public. Trump highlighted Harris’s controversial policies, including her intentions to reduce police funding, seize firearms from citizens, and ban fracking not just in Pennsylvania but nationwide.
Harris responded to these accusations by emphasizing her and Tim Walz’s ownership of guns, and firmly stated, “We’re not taking anybody’s guns away,” further criticizing the continual spreading of falsehoods regarding her policies.
Her ownership of a gun was mentioned during her unsuccessful presidential campaign in 2019, where she justified it by citing personal safety concerns, owing to her background in law enforcement.
However, Harris did express her support for mandatory gun buybacks during the 2019 primary debates, which led to a notable exchange with Joe Biden. When Biden and Muir questioned the feasibility of implementing such a policy through executive order, Harris responded optimistically, suggesting a proactive approach rather than a dismissive one.
Biden, emphasizing constitutional concerns, was met with Harris’s laughter and repeated affirmation, “Yes we can,” showcasing a moment of disagreement on the matter.
