Former President Donald Trump said Tuesday he would “absolutely” debate Vice President Kamala Harris, even adding that he would do more than one.
On a call with reporters, Trump was asked about debating Harris since Biden dropped out of the race, to which Trump said he was not thrilled with ABC News but that he wants to debate Harris, and believes it is important to do so. Harris, who’s running based on a party insider vote with virtually no primary voter approval, said Monday she had secured enough verbal commitments from DNC delegates to clinch her party’s nomination. Three hundred California delegates voted to back Harris on Monday night — all during a private Zoom call. (RELATED: Joe Biden Commits The Cardinal Sin Of Breakups)
“Absolutely. I’d want to. I think it’s important. I’m not thrilled about ABC because they’re truly fake news. I watched last night. They’re actually trying to make a hero out of Joe Biden when he was the worst president in history. And they were doing things like, with Kamala. Like, what a wonderful thing it is that she is running, Trump said. “I’m not thrilled with ABC. I guess they can commit, but I have at least equal say. And I don’t like the idea of ABC. I would be willing to do more than one debate.”
Trump then went on to say, “Well, I haven’t agreed to anything. I agreed to a debate with Joe Biden, but I want a debate her and she’ll be no different because they have the same policies. I think debating is important for a presidential race. I really do. I think that you sort of have an obligation to debate if you’re the candidate of the Republican Party.”
WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 11: (L-R) U.S. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris walk back to the Oval Office after an event about gun violence in the Rose Garden of the White House April 11, 2022 in Washington, DC. Biden announced a new firearm regulation aimed at reining in ghost guns, untraceable, unregulated weapons made from kids. Biden also announced Steve Dettelbach as his nominee to lead the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
“It is a two-party system. There’s no such thing as three-party in this system. It’s just a two-party system, plain and simple. And it was designed that way, and that’s the way it is. And I think if you’re the Democrat nominee or the Republican nominee, you really have an obligation to debate,” Trump added. “So I think it’s very important.”
Trump chose not to debate against his Republican opponents in the GOP primary (nor did President Joe Biden against other Democrats), but he dealt a fatal blow to Biden’s candidacy in their only general election debate.
On June 27, Trump and Biden squared off in their first debate in Atlanta, which was followed by an avalanche of calls for Biden to step down to his performance. Biden has since stepped down as the nominee, while power players within the Democratic Party, including Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries, have coalesced around Harris in a matter of days. (RELATED: KJP Says Concerns About Biden‘s Ability To Finish His Term Are ‘Ridiculous’)
US Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during a campaign event in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, US, on Tuesday, July 23, 2024. (Photographer: Daniel Steinle/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Trump slammed ABC News in a TRUTH Social post just after midnight Tuesday, specifically calling out anchor George Stephanopoulos.
“ABC Fake News is such a joke, among the absolute WORST in the business. They try to make Crooked Joe into a brave warrior because he didn’t have the “guts” to fight it out — He quit! They then tried to make ‘Sleepy’ look like a great President – he was the WORST, and Lyin’ Kamala into a competent person, which she is not. ABC, the home of George Slopadopolus, is not worthy of holding a Debate, of which I hope there will be many! MAGA2024,” the former president wrote.
It is yet not clear when and if Trump and Harris will agree to a debate before the November election.
