5 Vice Presidential Debate Highlights between J.D. Vance and Tim Walz

1. Support for Preemptive Strike by Israel on Iran

Following Iran's ballistic missile strikes on Israel, both candidates were asked whether they would support a preemptive strike by Israel on Iran. 

Walz, who first answered the question, talked about the importance of "steady leadership" in the White House and first took at Trump rather than answer the question directly. 

"What's fundamental here is that steady leadership is going to matter," Walz said, pointing to Trump's debate performance against Harris last month. "It's clear, and the world saw it on that debate stage a few weeks ago. A nearly 80-year-old Donald Trump talking about crowd sizes is not what we need in this moment." 

Meanwhile, Vance defended Trump, saying Trump "delivered stability to the world, and he did it by establishing effective deterrence." 

"People were afraid of stepping out of line," Vance said. "Donald Trump recognized that for people to fear the United States, you needed peace through strength. They needed to recognize that if they got out of line, the United States' global leadership would put stability and peace back in the world." 

Regarding the preemptive strike, Vance said, "It is up to Israel what they think they need to do to keep their country safe. And we should support our allies wherever they are when they're fighting the bad guys."

Although Walz blamed the Trump administration for pulling out of the Iran Nuclear Deal and that they were closer to having a nuclear weapon, Vance took a shot at Harris since she has been the vice president in the Biden administration.

Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Fatima Shbair/Stringer

2. Southern Border

Moving toward the southern border, Vance shared that he has visited the border more times than "border czar" Harris. However, Walz alleged Trump of preventing Republicans from voting against a border bill. 

"As soon as it was getting ready to pass and actually tackle this, Donald Trump said no, told [lawmakers] to vote against it because it gives him a campaign issue," Walz said. "What would Donald Trump talk about if we actually did some of these things?"

Vance also responded to the question on whether he and Trump would be in favor of family separation as part of Trump's proposed "mass deportation" should he be elected. Vance, in his response, argued that the "real separation policy" in the nation is ultimately Harris' "wide southern border" and that there are "320,000 children that the Department of Homeland Security has effectively lost," which some being used for sex trafficking, drug trafficking mules, while others are "hopefully" at homes with their families. 

Walz refuted the claim that children were being used as "drug mules" and defended Harris as she "prosecuted transnational gangs for human trafficking and drugs" when she was attorney general in California. 

Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Naeblys

3. Abortion

On the issue of abortion, Walz stressed that he and Harris are pro-choice, while Vance noted that the GOP needs to regain the trust of the American people as they "just don't trust us" on the issue.

"And I think that's one of the things that Donald Trump and I are endeavoring to do. I want us, as a Republican Party, to be pro-family in the fullest sense of the word. I want us to support fertility treatments. I want us to make it easier for moms to afford to have babies," Vance explained. "I want to make it easier for young families to afford a home so they can afford a place to raise that family. And I think there's so much that we can do on the public policy front just to give women more options right now." 

He also echoed Trump's view of abortion, supporting the Supreme Court's decision to return the issue of abortion to the states while supporting exceptions for rape, incest, and the life of the mother. 

Read more about the topic of abortion from this debate here.

Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Michael B. Thomas/Stringer

4. Gun Violence

When it came to gun violence in schools, Vance expressed his sympathies to Walz, who shared that his 17-year-old son "witnessed a shooting at a community center playing volleyball."

"I didn't know that your 17-year-old witnessed a shooting. I'm sorry about that. Christ, have mercy," Vance said.

Both candidates also shared their plans to stop gun violence. 

"We have to make the doors locked better. We have to make the doors stronger. We've got to make the windows stronger, and, of course, we've got to increase school resource officers. Because the idea that we can magically wave a wand and take guns out of the hands of bad guys, it just doesn't fit with recent experience," Vance said.

Walz said that the conversation started off well, but more was needed.

"Even though we have a high gun ownership rate in the country, there are reasonable things that we can do to make a difference. It's not infringing on your Second Amendment. And the idea to have some of these weapons out there, it just doesn't make any sense," he said.

Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Longfin Media

5. Future Direction for the United States

Towards the end of the debate, Vance and Walz both promised voters a new direction for the country should their respective running mates be elected president.

"Kamala Harris is bringing us a new way forward," Walz said. "She's bringing us a politics of joy. She's bringing real solutions for the middle class. And she's centering you at the heart of that, all the while asking everyone, join this movement. Make your voices heard."

Vance also spoke of the need for change in the United States.

"We need change. We need a new direction. We need a president who has already done this once before and did it well. Please vote for Donald Trump," Vance said. "And whether you vote for me or vote for Tim Walz, I just want to say I'm so proud to be doing this, and I'm rooting for you."

Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/SDI Productions