Trump claims it was his ‘best debate ever’ as he rushes to spin room in clear sign of ‘a bad night’

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Donald Trump has claimed the debate against Kamala Harris was “his best ever” as he rushed to the spin room to steer the narrative around the night – in a move commentators have described as a clear sign of “a bad night” for the former president. Pundits commented how it was not “a great sign” to see the former president break from tradition in this way, suggesting his awareness that it was a “bad night.” “Trump is in the spin room. Which if you know anything about spin rooms is usually not a great sign,” CNN Newsnight anchor Abby Phillip said in a post on X. open image in gallery Donald Trump rushed to the spin room after the debate to speak with reporters NBC News chief political analyst Chuck Todd echoed this view on the network: “When a candidate themselves goes into the spin room, they know they’ve had a bad night.” “It is generally not considered a sign of a candidate thinking he had a good night, or she had a good night, when they go to the spin room to try and clean up what they just did,” CNN’s Jake Tapper said live on air. I’m not surprised he’s not committed to another debate.” Fox News host Brit Hume agreed, adding: “Make no mistake about it, Trump had a bad night.” Meanwhile, Harris’s campaign has already said the vice president “is ready for a second debate.” Trump however wouldn’t commit and claimed his rival wants another because “she got beaten tonight.” “I have to think about it, but if you won the debate, I sort of think maybe I shouldn’t do it,” he told Fox News’s Sean Hannity.