Trump has indicated a willingness to have three rounds of debates with Harris
Donald Trump has said he is prepared to hold three rounds of debates with his Democratic rival Kamala Harris in September on different TV stations in an attempt to regain the initiative after Harris’ intensified campaign.
According to a post on ABC News’ X social media account, the network will hold the presidential debate on Sept. 10. Both Trump and Harris have agreed to participate.
At a press conference at his Palm Beach residence, Trump said he wanted to hold debates on Sept. 4, 10 and 25 on Fox News, ABC News and NBC News. His campaign later clarified that he had mixed up the dates of the debates by the respective channels.
Trump did not specify specific conditions, such as audience availability, and it is not yet clear if his campaign has made an offer to Harris’ team about the other two dates. Harris’ campaign has not yet commented on her participation in the debate.
The press conference was Trump’s first public appearance since Harris on Tuesday picked Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate – the vice presidential nominee.
Harris and Walz held rallies this week in key states – Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin – that drew tens of thousands of people. It signals a new wave of energy among Democrats after Kamala Harris entered the race.
Harris’ rapid rise in popularity has forced the Trump team to hastily rethink its strategy and messaging. Opinion polls show Harris eliminated the advantage Trump had built over President Joe Biden, and Democrats raised hundreds of millions of dollars from voters and big donors in a matter of weeks.
Biden ended his re-election campaign two and a half weeks ago under pressure from fellow Democrats concerned about his chances of winning the Nov. 5 election after a poor performance in a debate with Trump.
On Thursday, Donald Trump scoffed at the number of attendees at rallies held by Harris, even though their attendance was in line with his recent speeches.
“We have enthusiasm,” former President Trump said. – The Republican Party has enthusiasm.”