US Presidential Debate: Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has proposed a debate with Democratic US Vice President Kamala Harris on Fox News, scheduled for September 4. This announcement, made on Trump's Truth Social account, comes amidst claims from the Harris campaign that Trump is attempting to avoid a previously agreed-upon debate on ABC. Trump stated that the debate would follow similar rules to his first debate with US President Joe Biden, who has since withdrawn his re-election bid. Trump proposed that this time, the debate would feature a "full arena audience" and take place in the battleground state of Pennsylvania.
According to news agency Reuters, Michael Tyler, communications director for the Harris campaign, replied, "Donald Trump is running scared and trying to back out of the debate he already agreed to and running straight to Fox News to bail him out." On Friday, Harris secured the delegate votes necessary to clinch the Democratic nomination.
Recent polls indicate a tight race between Harris and Trump, contrasting with the larger lead Trump held over Biden after their initial debate.
Both Trump and Biden had agreed to a second debate on 10 September on ABC News, which Trump suggested should be moved to Fox.
On the proposal, Tyler said, "The vice president will be there one way or the other to take the opportunity to speak to a prime-time national audience", as quoted by Reuters. He added that the Harris campaign is open to discussing additional debates after the one both campaigns had already agreed upon.
Democratic Campaign Against Trump Over Presidential Debate, Ex-US President Hits Back
Trump's proposal for a Fox debate coincided with the Democratic National Committee launching an advertising campaign that taunted him, calling him "the convicted felon is afraid to debate" and questioning if it was due to his stance on abortion. More On It: ‘Convicted Felon Afraid To Debate’: Democratic Party's Scathing Campaign Against Trump As He Dodges Faceoff With Kamala Harris
David Plouffe, an adviser to former US president Barack Obama who recently joined the Harris campaign, commented on X, "Now, he seems only comfortable in a cocoon, asking his happy place Fox to host a Trump rally and call it a debate. Maybe he can only handle debating someone his own age." Trump is 78, while Harris is 59.
Meanwhile, Trump has tried to counter the democratic narrative by accusing Harris of being "afraid" to debate him on Fox News.
"Kamala Harris doesn’t have the mental capacity to do a REAL Debate against me, scheduled for September 4th in Pennsylvania. She’s afraid to do it because there is no way she can justify her Corrupt and Open Borders, the Environmental Destruction of our Country, the Afghanistan Embarrassment, Runaway Inflation, Terrible Economy, High Interest Rates and Taxes, and her years long fight to stop the words, “Merry Christmas.” I’ll see her on September 4th or, I won’t see her at all. She is acknowledged to be the Worst Vice President in History, which works very nicely against the Worst President, Crooked Joe Biden. The combination of these two Low IQ individuals have destroyed our Country, but we will MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!" he posted on Truth Social.
After Biden's withdrawal on July 21 and his endorsement of Harris, Trump initially stated he would not debate Harris as she was not the official candidate. However, Harris had expressed her readiness for the debate proposed by Fox News for 17 September.