Former United States President Donald Trump has rejected the invite to a second debate with Vice-President Kamala Harris, which was proposed for October 23 by news network CNN. The Republican nominee said it was “too late” for another presidential debate since Americans have started to cast their ballots for the 2024 election.
“The problem with another debate is that it’s just too late, voting has already started,” Trump said at a rally in Wilmington, North Carolina, according to CNN.
This comes after Vice-President Kamala Harris accepted the invitation from the news network. On Saturday, Harris posted on X that she “will gladly accept a second presidential debate”, and that she hopes Trump “will join” her on October 23.
“Vice-President Harris is ready for another opportunity to share a stage with Donald Trump,” her campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon said in a statement. “Donald Trump should have no problem agreeing to this debate.”
US Presidential nominees usually have a “final word” in a nationally televised debate in October after the vice-presidential candidates. According to BBC, in the statement, Dillon said that Americans “deserve another opportunity to see Harris and Trump debate before the November election”.
Dillon added that it's “unprecedented in modern history” for there to be just one general election debate. She said debates are a chance for voters to see their candidates side by side, allowing them to assess the “competing visions of America”.
Despite Trump’s rejection, his running mate, Senator J.D. Vance is ready for a debate with Democratic vice-presidential pick, Senator Tim Walz, on October 1, to be hosted by the news network CBS.
Last week, Trump suggested that he was interested in a third debate after his September 10 face-off with the V-P, referencing his first face-off with President Joe Biden in June and the second, with Harris, earlier this month. Following this, he posted on Truth Social on September 12: “THERE WILL BE NO THIRD DEBATE!”
However, Harris’ campaign had dismissed Trump’s announcement, saying he “changes his positions everyday”. Meanwhile, Harris immediately called for another debate. “I believe we owe it to the voters,” she was quoted as saying by CNN.
The debate would have followed the same format as the June and September debates. It would have been held for 90 minutes in the CNN Studios in Atlanta. Trump and V-P Harris would have answered the moderators' questions with no live studio audience.
The CNN Debate between Trump and US President Joe Biden on June 27 proved consequential as Biden’s faltering performance made some Democrats ask whether he should be the party’s candidate. After weeks of uncertainty, Biden announced that he would not be seeking re-election. This paved the way for V-P Kamla Harris to become the Democratic nominee.