Former President Donald Trump said Thursday that he would be willing to debate Vice President Kamala Harris three times next month.
During a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, Trump said that “I think it’s very important to have debates” and that he had accepted invitations from NBC News, Fox News, and ABC News.
During his announcement, Trump seemed to get some of the dates wrong. Both ABC News and the Trump team eventually stated that the ABC News debate will be held on September 10. The Fox News discussion was earlier scheduled for September 4.
According to a person familiar with the arrangements, the NBC News one is scheduled for September 25, which was one of the dates given to the campaigns by the network.
When President Joe Biden was still running, his campaign and Trump’s agreed to do two debates: one on CNN on June 27 and another on ABC News on September 10.
But once Biden stepped out and backed Harris, Trump started to reconsider his participation. Last Thursday, he said that he would miss the ABC News debate since it had “been terminated in that Biden will no longer be a participant.”
After Trump withdrew, Harris campaign communications director Michael Tyler stated in a statement, “The Vice President will be there one way or another to take advantage of the chance to speak to a prime-time national audience.
We are open to explore further debates following the one that both camps have already committed to.”
Harris confirmed later Thursday that she will participate in the ABC News debate, adding, “I am looking forward to debating Donald Trump, and we have a date of September 10.” I hear he’s finally committed, and I’m looking forward to it. She did not answer a query regarding other prospective dates.
Trump also said Thursday that the campaign has agreed to a vice presidential debate on CBS News, and that his running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, has “really stepped up.” “He’s doing an excellent job.”
On Tuesday, during his first rally since being nominated Harris’ running partner, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz remarked of Vance, “I can’t wait to debate the guy.”
At a campaign rally in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Vance refused to commit to a debate with Walz, implying that he may not be the Democratic vice presidential contender.
“We don’t know who the vice presidential nominee will be, either,” Vance told reporters, adding that Democrats may “pull a bait and switch” and drop him off the ticket.
This week, Harris and Walz were officially confirmed as the Democrats’ presidential and vice-presidential choices.