Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign is standing firm on its claim that former President Donald Trump is reneging on his commitment to a debate scheduled for September. Trump had previously agreed to participate in two debates with President Joe Biden, one on June 27 on CNN and another on September 10 on ABC.
Harris’ campaign communications director, Michael Tyler, reiterated that the presumptive Democratic nominee would be present at the September 10 debate, regardless of Trump’s attendance. “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.
However, reports suggest that Trump may not participate in the upcoming ABC event, even though he had previously indicated that he would “absolutely” debate Harris. His campaign recently stated that they would not agree to a general election debate with Harris until Democrats formally select their nominee.
While Harris is reported to have secured enough delegates for the nomination, with a virtual vote scheduled for August 1, the Democratic National Convention is set to take place from August 19-22 in Chicago.
Jason Miller, a senior adviser to Trump’s campaign, has expressed that Trump will indeed debate the Democratic nominee. However, he believes that Democrats should finalize their nominee selection before scheduling any debates.
In light of President Biden’s decision to withdraw from the debate and endorse Harris, Fox News has extended an invitation to both Trump and Harris to hold a debate on the network. The proposed debate would take place in Pennsylvania on Tuesday, September 17, as early voting is getting underway in key battleground states. The format, location, and audience presence are subject to discussion and agreement from all parties involved.
Despite Fox News’ invitation, there has been no response from either campaign regarding the offer. Trump has addressed the debates on his Truth Social platform, expressing his preference for a debate on Fox News rather than ABC.
As the campaigns navigate the debate landscape, both teams will continue to deliberate and negotiate the terms of these crucial events. The American people eagerly anticipate the opportunity to engage with and evaluate the candidates as they make their case for the highest office in the land.
