Topline
Former President Donald Trump said Wednesday he will debate Vice President Kamala Harris “in the pretty near future” and didn’t explicitly rule out a face-off hosted by ABC News—marking Trump’s firmest commitment to debating Harris after indicating he wouldn’t move forward with a planned debate on ABC.
Republican presidential nominee, former U.S. President Donald Trump, speaks during a campaign rally … [+]
Key Facts
Trump said Wednesday on Fox & Friends the date of a debate will “be announced fairly soon, but we’ll be debating her,” while repeating his push for Fox News to host the program (it’s not clear if Trump and Harris’ campaigns have agreed to a debate yet).
Trump said over the weekend his agreement to participate in the ABC debate previously scheduled for Sept. 10 between Trump and President Joe Biden had been “terminated,” citing his defamation lawsuit against the network and anchor George Stephanopoulos and Biden’s exit from the race.
Trump blasted Harris in the interview Wednesday, telling Fox & Friends he’s “heard” she is “sort of a nasty person, but not a good . . . debater,” adding that he believes Harris will “be exposed, just like Biden was exposed” during the debate.
Trump, discussing the various networks, said “the most important thing is we get to debate,” adding that he “would like to see it on Fox,” but stopping short of saying he wouldn’t debate on another network.
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Tangent
Fox News offered to host a debate between Harris and Trump on Sept. 17, a week after the scheduled ABC News debate. Harris has said she will show up for the ABC News debate with or without Trump there.
What We Don’t Know
When the vice presidential debates between Trump running mate, Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, and Harris’ running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, will be held. Walz said Tuesday in his first rally since he joined Harris’ ticket that he “can’t wait” to debate Vance, calling him “creepy” and “weird.”
Key Background
Trump, over the weekend, said he had agreed to participate in a Sept. 4 debate on Fox News somewhere in Pennsylvania. On Tuesday, the former president claimed Harris is “afraid” to debate him on Fox News, using his new deliberate “Kamabla” misspelling of her first name. Trump also lashed out against ABC News Tuesday, calling the network “fake” and accusing Stephanopoulos of favoring Biden in the interview he conducted with the president after his disastrous June 27 debate on Fox News.
Chief Critic
Harris campaign spokesperson James Singer blasted Trump in response to his Wednesday interview in a statement that said “on Fox News this morning, criminal Donald Trump rambled, lied, and offered America nothing but chaos, hate and anger – the polar opposite of what we saw in Philadelphia last night. We aren’t surprised Trump wouldn’t show his face, he’s ashamed of his dangerous Project 2025 agenda, is afraid to debate, and has no positive vision to present to the American people.”
Further Reading
Trump Backs Out Of Debate And Proposes Another On Fox News—Harris Claims He’s ‘Running Scared’ (Forbes)
Trump Claims Harris Is Afraid To Face Him On Fox News After He Backed Out Of ABC Debate (Forbes)
Fox News Proposes Sept. 17 Trump-Harris Debate—After Trump Suggests Network Host Next Face-Off (Forbes)
CORRECTION (8/7): This article’s headline and topline have been updated to clarify that Trump said he will debate Harris “in the pretty near future.”
2022 midterms, 2024 presidential campaign, the January 6 House committee investigation, former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s historic ouster, the 2023 State of the Union Address, former President Donald Trump’s federal election interference and classified documents cases and his Manhattan hush money case. Dorn graduated in 2012 from the University of Dayton with a degree in journalism. Prior to joining Forbes, she covered New York City and state politics for the New York Post and City and State magazine. Follow her for updates and analysis on the 2024 presidential race, key Senate and House races and developments in Congress and at the White House.
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