Donald Trump said he has agreed to debate Vice President Kamala Harris in September at an event that will be moderated on Fox News.
In an article in Truth Social, Trump said he is “fully able” to settle for the “coup” that saw Democrats upgrade President Joe Biden as the party’s presumptive 2024 nominee, and that he is “able to meet” in the The debate is at the level of crazy Kamala Harris.
It is unclear whether Harris agreed to the debate on Fox News and its terms. In the past, the Democrat was prepared to face Trump in the pre-scheduled debate on ABC News on September 10, which had been scheduled before Biden withdrew from the debate. career.
“I have agreed with Fox News to debate Kamala Harris on Wednesday, September 4. The debate was previously scheduled against Sleepy Joe Biden on ABC, but has been disrupted to the point that Biden will no longer participate, and I am in opposing litigation to ABC. Network and George Slopadopoulos [Stephanopoulos], thus creating a clash of interests,” Trump wrote.
“The Fox News debate will take place in the Greater Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, at a location in a domain to be determined. “
It was Biden’s lackluster and lackluster performance in the first presidential debate hosted by CNN on June 27 that ultimately led to the president ending his re-election campaign and Harris to the Democratic nomination.
Since then, Harris has experienced waves of enthusiasm for her White House bid and is leading Trump in several polls.
On Friday, Harris accused Trump of being “too scared” to confront the vice president in a debate and that the Republican “needs to be encouraged. “
Harris also put more pressure on Trump to appear on her level in a debate, telling the crowd at a campaign rally in Georgia that if the former president had anything to say about her, “he would tell me on the phone. ” face”.
Trump claims in his Truth Social article that the moderators of the September debate will be Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum of Fox News.
Trump also said the debate regulations would be similar to those of the CNN debate, where microphones were muted when all candidates were unable to speak, to avoid interruptions.
The former president added that the CNN debate, on the occasion of Fox News, would have a “full audience. “
Trump also showed some sympathy for Biden, who he said was “treated horribly” across his party after dozens of members publicly suggested he drop out of the 2024 race.
“As we know, Democrats unconstitutionally took a defeated candidate and unceremoniously replaced him with a new candidate. This has never been done before and it is a risk to democracy,” Trump said.
“I spent many millions of dollars, time and effort fighting Joe, and when I won the debate, a new candidate was thrown into the ring. It’s not fair, but it is what it is! However, whether there is another candidate or not, his Bad Policies They are the same, and this will be clearly revealed in the debate on September 4.
“I look forward to meeting and discussing Kamala Harris on September 4. This date is convenient and appropriate, as it falls just before early voting begins on September 6 for the 2024 presidential election. “
Harris secured the Democratic nomination for the 2024 presidential election on Friday.
Michael Tyler, communications director for Harris’ crusade, later accused Trump of “freaking out and walking away from the debate he had already agreed to and running straight to Fox News to rescue him. “
The ABC News litigation cited through Trump is a lawsuit the former president filed against the network and George Stephanopoulos after the anchor said on air that the former president had been found “responsible for rape” through a jury in a case involving E. Jean Carroll. . Formation
In 2023, a New York civil court ruled that Trump sexually abused Carroll in 1996, but the jury did not find that he raped her. The ruling in charge of the civil case later wrote in two separate filings that Trump had raped Carroll under a broader definition used in other states, which is now added in New York.
A civil defamation trial in the lawsuit between Trump and ABC News is expected to begin in April 2025. Newsweek has contacted ABC for comment via email.
Trump has denied all allegations.
Democratic pollster and strategist Matt McDermott posted on X, formerly Twitter: “Let’s be clear: the debate on ABC News is ‘over. ‘It is planned and any of the applicants have already agreed to participate.
“Donald Trump is backing down because he’s afraid to debate Kamala Harris. “
Pro-Trump social media user Joey Mannarino, who has more than 494,000 fans on X, added: “Trump is NEVER afraid to debate Kamala Harris. I don’t think other people realize that she will behave extraordinarily in a debate opposed to him. cold and calm as in the debate against Biden and Kamala will scream like crazy, make accusations, call him a “rapist” and all her same old phrases.
“She will look unbalanced. He showed calm and composure. It might not be the victory she thinks she will get. “
Update 03/08/2024 at 11:12 a. m. ET: This article was updated with the observation of Kamala Harris’ campaign communications director, Michael Tyler.
Ewan Palmer is a reporter for Newsweek News in London, United Kingdom. It focuses on American politics, domestic politics, and the courts. He joined Newsweek in February 2018 after spending several years working at the International Business Times UK, where he reported primarily on crime, politics, and current affairs. Prior to that, he worked as a freelance editor after graduating from the University of Sunderland in 2010. Languages: English.
You can contact Ewan by emailing e. palmer@newsweek. com.
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