Vice President Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign has accused former President Donald Trump of reneging on his commitment to a debate scheduled for September. Trump had initially agreed to participate in two debates with President Joe Biden: one on CNN in June and another on ABC on September 10. The September debate was planned regardless of Biden’s status in the race.
Michael Tyler, the communications director for Harris’s campaign, affirmed that Harris will attend the September 10 debate irrespective of Trump’s participation. “As Vice President Harris said last week, the American people deserve to hear from the two candidates running for the highest office in the land, and she will do that at September’s ABC debate,” Tyler stated. “Vice President Harris will be there on Sept. 10 – we’ll see if Trump shows.”
Trump’s Debate Commitment and Campaign Stance
Although Trump stated he would “absolutely” debate Harris, he hinted that he might skip the ABC event. His campaign later announced that they would not agree to a general election debate with Harris until the Democrats officially select their nominee. Harris is reported to have secured enough delegates for the nomination, with a virtual vote scheduled for August 1 before the Democratic National Convention in Chicago from August 19-22.
Jason Miller, a senior adviser to Trump’s campaign, confirmed that Trump will debate the Democratic nominee but stressed the necessity for Democrats to finalize their nominee before committing to the debates. Miller also suggested that multiple debates with Harris would be beneficial for a more comprehensive discussion.
Alternative Debate Offer
In response to President Joe Biden’s withdrawal from a debate and his endorsement of Harris, Fox News extended an invitation to both Trump and Harris’s campaigns to hold a debate on their network. The network proposed hosting the debate in Pennsylvania on Tuesday, September 17, coinciding with the start of early voting in key battleground states. Fox News expressed willingness to discuss the date, format, and location of the debate.
Trump addressed the debate issue on his Truth Social platform, arguing that since Biden has withdrawn from the race, the debate should be held on Fox News rather than ABC, citing alleged bias from the latter.
Awaiting Political Dialogue
As discussions and negotiations continue, the American public eagerly anticipates the opportunity for informed political dialogue between the two candidates vying for the highest office. The outcome of these negotiations will shape the final debate schedule and format leading up to the 2024 presidential election.
