Kamala Harris' Earrings or Secret Earpiece? Conspiracy Theories Swirl After Trump Debate

US Elections 2024 : Hours after the first presidential debate between former US president Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, a Democrat, hosted by ABC News on Wednesday, a fresh conspiracy theory has surfaced. A section of netizens are speculating that Harris' earrings were, in fact, covert earpieces. 

This theory gained traction as viewers closely examined the Vice President's appearance during the debate, suggesting the possibility of a hidden device. Though there is no concrete proof to support these claims, social media users have drawn parallels to a similar-looking earpiece featured in a tech article. 

Taking to X, a social media user said, “I think Kamala did a great job tonight in the debate against Trump, who I think is a great orator and debator himself. But her earrings intrigued me a lot. May be because I got reminded of similar-looking ones from some tech article on an earphone that looks like earrings.” 

“If you think Kamala sounded a lot like Obama tonight…she probably did. BUSTED!”  another user echoed similar remarks. 

As the conspiracy theories alleging that Kamala Harris wore Nova H1 Audio earrings during the debate sparked viral discussion, Nova, the company behind these earrings, added a "Presidential Debate" edition to their product list. 

Accompanying the listing was a note which read,“Following the presidential debate we have been contacted by numerous TV shows for interviews. After thorough discussions, we have decided that we will grant one live interview to clarify the rumours and myths surrounding our wonderful products. Our chosen interviewee is Jimmy Fallon, a trusted Bavarian in heart. Please refrain from any interview requests if you are not Jimmy Fallon. Thank you!”

The company's CEO, Icebach, initially rode the wave of the conspiracy on LinkedIn, writing that Nova could neither "confirm nor deny" if Harris had been fed debate questions via the earrings. This post has since been deleted.

Have these claims been made before?  

Claims that candidates used earpieces during debates have been around for years. The accusation that Kamala Harris received help from an earpiece during her debate with Trump isn't new. Similar claims have surfaced following multiple presidential debates. In June, several people alleged that Joe Biden used headphones during his debate with Trump.

This isn't the first time such claims have been made. In 2020, Trump’s campaign ran Facebook ads alleging that Biden wore an earpiece during their September debate, and many of Trump’s supporters repeated these unfounded theories. High-resolution images from the debate, however, showed that what people thought were wires were actually just creases in Biden’s clothing.

In 2016, the conspiracy website True Pundit, along with others, falsely claimed that Hillary Clinton was wearing an earpiece for “stealth communications” during an NBC News forum. Fact-checkers later debunked these accusations.

Going back even further, in 2004, rumors circulated online that a rectangular bulge on President George W. Bush’s shoulder during his debate in Miami was a radio receiver. A Bush campaign spokesperson later told the New York Times that the bulge was “most likely a rumpling of that portion of his suit jacket or a wrinkle in the fabric.”   

What Happened at Trump-Harris Debate

In their first and perhaps only debate before the presidential election, Vice President Kamala Harris delivered a forceful critique of Republican candidate Donald Trump . Her performance sharply contrasted with President Joe Biden 's June debate, marked by clear, incisive responses aimed at highlighting differences between her and Trump. In contrast, Biden's earlier performance had been criticized as muddled and incoherent.

Throughout the debate, Harris reminded Trump of his 2020 election loss—a fact he continues to dispute—and challenged his false claims, while emphasizing his role in the Supreme Court's reversal of national abortion rights. Trump, in turn, attacked Harris as a continuation of Biden’s unpopular administration, resorting to personal jabs and digressions that his advisers had hoped to avoid.

With Election Day less than two months away and early ballots about to be mailed in Alabama, the debate provided a crucial glimpse into a presidential race that remains in flux.