Kamala Harris' Town Hall: Facts Checked

Vice President Kamala Harris recently joined CNN’s Anderson Cooper for a town hall in Pennsylvania. She faced questions from voters just days before the election. Former President Donald Trump was invited but didn't participate. Let's fact-check some of Harris' claims. Harris talked about Trump’s tariff plan. She said Trump wants a 20% national sales tax on everyday goods, costing Americans $4, 000 a year. This is based on Trump's proposal to impose new tariffs if he returns to the White House. He's considering a 10% or 20% tariff on all imports and up to 60% on Chinese goods. A 20% tariff with a 60% one on Chinese goods could raise middle-class families' taxes by about $3, 900 a year, according to a liberal think tank. Other studies say the impact would be lower, around $1, 700 or $1, 350 annually. Harris also discussed her stance on fracking. She claimed she never promised to ban fracking while campaigning. But during the 2020 vice presidential debate, she only spoke about Joe Biden’s plans, not her personal views. In the 2019 Democratic primary, she said she was in favor of banning fracking. Harris stated that Trump only built 2% of the border wall. Trump's administration built nearly 52 miles of new primary wall and replaced over 370 miles of old wall. That's about 5. 2% of his 1, 000-mile promise or 10. 4% of a 500-mile goal. Harris criticized Trump’s tax cuts, saying they benefited the wealthy. The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act did help the rich more, but it also reduced taxes for most people. Middle-income households got an average $800 tax cut, while high-income earners got larger cuts.