Amidst mounting disappointment and dismay among supporters, Donald Trump's campaign has entered into damage control mode following a presidential debate that saw his Democratic opponent, Kamala Harris, repeatedly goading him into going off-message and missing key opportunities to address policy issues. Despite Trump's insistence that he emerged victorious, Republicans widely agree that he came out second best, with Harris deliberately baiting him on his weak points while he responded with visible anger.

In an unusual move, the Republican nominee visited the media spin room after the debate, a venue typically reserved for candidates' surrogates. However, Trump remained non-committal on Harris' proposal for a second debate, suggesting that she needed it because she had lost. He stated, "I'd be less inclined to because we had a great night. We won the debate," during an interview with Fox & Friends.

By Wednesday afternoon, Harris had not yet commented on her debate performance as she accompanied Joe Biden on official appearances for the commemoration of the 23rd anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. The traditionally non-partisan occasion took a backseat as the debate fallout continued.

Notably, even high-profile presenters from Fox News, a network known for its support of Trump, took a different view than the president. Fox News analyst Brit Hume declared, "Let's make no mistake. Trump had a bad night," immediately after the debate, adding that Trump's grievances were not politically advantageous.

Many commentators observed that the tone of the debate was set from the beginning when Harris approached Trump's lectern to introduce herself and shake his hand—an act that established dominance and caught Trump off guard. Another defining moment came when Harris depicted people leaving Trump's rallies "early out of exhaustion and boredom." Instead of addressing the comment or responding to a follow-up question, Trump went off on a tangent, comparing the candidates' rallies. Harris, on the other hand, maintained composure, smiling and staring at him.

Republicans, while offering grudging praise for Harris' preparedness, expressed disappointment in Trump's inability to stay focused and press key policy issues. They lamented his preoccupation with the absence of Joe Biden, who withdrew from the race following a poor performance in a previous debate and was replaced by Harris.

Even as some pro-Trump commentators criticized the moderators for fact-checking Trump but not Harris, there was widespread acknowledgment that Trump's own performance was to blame for his defeat. Erick Erickson, a conservative radio host, succinctly wrote on social media, "Trump lost the debate, and whining about the moderators doesn't change it."

Harris managed to provoke Trump further by insinuating that he was seen as weak by US allies, who viewed his relationship with Vladimir Putin as subservient. Trump, in an attempt to counter the claim, invoked the praise of Viktor Orbán, the far-right prime minister of Hungary known for his anti-immigrant rhetoric and dissent from NATO's support for Ukraine.

As the fallout from the debate continues, there is speculation that Trump may take drastic measures to change the upcoming news cycle. One GOP representative said, "The headline for the next few days will be how he lost this thing. I expect him to do something drastic, whether it's a campaign shake-up or some other wild antic, by the end of the week."

The impact of Trump's lackluster debate performance has raised concerns within his campaign and among Republicans, who now face a more challenging road ahead in the election. Only time will tell how the events of the debate will ultimately shape the outcome of the presidential race.