US election

Harris holds lead, Trump causes uproar

Donald Trump and Kamala Harris

(Bild: AFP/Robyn Beck, AP, Krone KREATIV)

Democratic US Vice President Kamala Harris is ahead of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump according to an election survey. The latter is touting his protectionist trade policy and is once again raising questions about Kremlin boss Vladimir Putin.

In a new Reuters/Ipsos poll published on Tuesday, Harris is three percentage points ahead of Trump with 45% to 42%. The poll had a margin of error of around four percentage points. The vote will take place on November 5.

In some states, voting can take place much earlier by mail or in person. Following President Joe Biden's withdrawal from the election campaign, Harris took over the Democratic candidacy in July. A close outcome is generally expected, not least because of the comparatively complicated election process in the USA.

Kamala Harris in Pennsylvania

(Bild: ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Trump defends protectionist trade policy
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has defended his protectionist trade policy and rejected concerns about the possibility of rising national debt. "We are committed to growth. We're going to bring businesses back into our country," the former president said in an interview at the Economic Club of Chicago on Tuesday.

He was confronted with budget analysts' forecasts that his plans would increase the national debt by 7.5 trillion dollars by 2035 - more than twice as much as Vice President and Democratic candidate Kamala Harris.

In Trump's view, tariffs will revitalize US production and generate enough revenue to allay concerns about a growing deficit. He is not only relying on special levies on goods from rivals such as China, but also on products from allies such as the European Union. He wants to impose tariffs on imported cars from Germany, among others, so that foreign manufacturers build their cars in the USA.

Trump speaks to his supporters in Philadelphia.

(Bild: ASSOCIATED PRESS)

This dog was also dragged along to the election campaign.

(Bild: Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Trump also said he believed he could make recommendations to the Fed on interest rates without issuing orders. "I think I have the right to say: you should raise or lower interest rates a little bit."

Some trade experts argue that his actions could damage the US economy, jeopardize jobs and drive up consumer prices. Trump replied that the tariffs would have a strong effect, but a positive one in his view. "All you have to do is produce in the US and there will be no tariffs."

Mystery surrounding talks with Putin
The current Republican presidential candidate did not want to answer whether Trump had spoken to Russian head of state Vladimir Putin several times after his term as president. "I don't comment on that," the 78-year-old said cagily at an event organized by the Bloomberg business news agency in Chicago. However, he added that it was "wise" to cultivate relationships with people.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and former US President Donald Trump (archive image)

(Bild: AP)

"If I'm friendly with people or have a relationship with them, that's a good thing, not a bad thing," Trump said, emphasizing that he had also maintained "very good relationships" with China's head of state Xi Jinping and North Korea's ruler Kim Jong-un during his time in office.

The Kremlin had previously denied US reports of alleged phone calls between Putin and Trump after the latter left office in 2021. The background to this was a new book by reporter Bob Woodward, which refers to seven conversations between Trump and Putin - which are said to have taken place despite the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. Trump's campaign team denied the claims.

The Republican has been criticized for years for his real or supposed closeness to Putin and Russia. The issue also plays a role with regard to the election.