HEMPSTEAD, New York,
Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton on Monday clashed over the defense of U.S. allies, with Clinton vowing to back them under treaty obligations but Trump saying his presidency may not do so unless the countries contribute more to deployment costs for the U.S. military.
“I want to reassure our allies in Japan and South Korea and elsewhere that we have mutual defense treaties and we will honor them,” Clinton said in the first presidential debate for the Nov. 8 election. “It is essential that America’s word be good.”
Recalling recent meetings with world leaders, one of which was held on Sept. 19 with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in New York, Clinton said, “I know that this campaign has caused some questioning and some worries on the part of many leaders across the globe.”
The highly anticipated first debate between Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton and Republican nominee Donald Trump lived up to its billing as the candidates clashed repeatedly over the economy, tax cuts for the wealthy and the Islamic State terror group.
Clinton, the Democratic nominee, repeatedly sought to correct Trump’s statements as she aimed to portray him as out of touch with the complexities of the American economy.
Clinton and Trump began the debate by shaking hands before stationing themselves behind their podiums at Hofstra University on New York’s Long Island for the 90-minute clash.
An increasingly angry Trump slammed Clinton for putting her plans to fight the Islamic State on her website — and thereby tipping off America’s enemy. Clinton responded by saying at least he has a plan to fight the terror group. ”
Clinton hammered Trump over his refusal to release his tax returns. Trump replied that he would release his taxes when Clinton made public 33,000 emails that were deleted from her private email server. When Clinton said that Trump had paid no federal income tax in some years, Trump replied that makes him smart.
Clinton also set about Trump’s business record, pointing out that he had called himself “The King of Debt” and accusing him of “stiffing” thousand of contractors who did work for his business.
When the debate turned to racial issues and crime, Clinton said that it was important for police to work together with local communities to restore trust.
