Dubai airport incredible compared to US, says Trump in debate

Before an anticipated television audience of up to 100 million, Trump praised Dubai and Qatar airports.

Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton traded insults and sparred over temperament, stamina and judgment on Monday, in a fiery US presidential debate that often saw the Republican nominee on the back foot.

(Between time stamps 1:30 and 1:32, he gives a shoutout to Dubai and Qatar airports)

Before an anticipated television audience of up to 100 million, Trump praised Dubai and Qatar airports while comparing them to a few US airports with "third world" amenities.

"When we have $20 trillion in debt, and our country's a mess, you know, it's one thing to have $20 trillion in debt and our roads are good and our bridges are good and everything's in great shape, our airports. Our airports are like from a third world country," the Republican said.

"You land at LaGuardia, you land at Kennedy, you land at LAX, you land at Newark, and you come in from Dubai and Qatar and you see these incredible - you come in from China, you see these incredible airports, and you land - we've become a third world country. So the worst of all things has happened."

Many netizens echoed his statement. A Twitter user said, "The only thing Trump said right is when he praised Dubai Airport."

Another person tweeted, "If Trump loves Dubai, he should fly and stay there."

Meanwhile there were others who who slammed Trump for criticizing US airports. "Trump is blaming US politicians for Dubai airport being better than Kennedy airport?" a user tweeted.

Another tweet stated, "So what's upsetting Trump is that the US airports are not so fancy like DUBAI airport?"

The verdict is in on social media.

The most-discussed moment of the debate on Twitter and Facebook was when Donald Trump claimed his temperament is "his strongest asset."

Representatives of Facebook said Trump captured about 79 per cent of all Facebook discussions, compared with 21 per cent for Clinton.

A spokesman for Twitter, meanwhile, said Trump talk was the subject of 62 percent of tweets.

Trump's talk about stop-and-frisk being a successful policing tactic and an exchange between Trump and Clinton over plans for defeating the Daesh group were also top-tweeted debate moments.

This was the most-tweeted debate ever, according to the social media site, which was founded in 2006.

(Inputs from AFP)

• Americas
• Dubai