US Prez Donald Trump Refuses To Participate In Next Presidential Debate With Biden After Decision To Make It Virtual

US President Donald Trump has refused to take part in the next presidential debate as the committee decided to make it virtual because of his Coronavirus diagnosis.

Photo Courtesy: AFP

Washington: US President Donald Trump has refused to participate in the second presidential debate with Joe Biden after the Commission on the Presidential Debates decided that it will be held virtually because of the Trump contracting coronavirus disease.  In an interaction with Fox Business on Thursday, Trump said, "I am not going to do a virtual debate. I am not going to waste my time on a virtual debate." Biden's side had quickly agreed to the virtual format. But with Trump's adamant refusal the debate is now thrown in uncertainty. The decision to introduce necessary changes to the event was taken seeing the ambiguity around Donald Trump's diagnosis. There have been mixed media reports - as certain sections reported him to be in a serious situation while Trump himself has released videos stating that he has recovered and feels much better than he did in the initial days. Trump was admitted to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland on October 2  and is currently back at the White House after spending three nights in the medical care. Meanwhile, an internal US government memo disclosed that at least "34 White House staffers and other contacts" have tested positive for Covid-19 in recent days. The memo was obtained by ABC News, was distributed among senior leadership at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). According to it, an unnamed senior adviser to President Donald Trump has also tested positive for the disease. Meanwhile, Hope Hicks and Stephen Miller, both senior aides to the President, have tested positive in recent days. The others in the President's inner circle who have also tested positive for the virus are First Lady Melania Trump, White House Press Secretary Kayley McEnany, RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel, Utah Senator Mike Lee, North Carolina Senator Thom Tilis, former adviser Kellyanne Conway and Trump campaign director Bill Stepien. (With Agency Inputs) WATCH | Here are top updates of the day in Super 20