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Trump Withdraws from Upcoming Debate with Harris
Donald Trump has announced he will not participate in the upcoming debate scheduled for September against U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, shifting the focus to a potential face-off on Fox News instead. This decision may decrease the likelihood of the two candidates engaging in a public debate before the November elections.
In a series of posts on Truth Social late Friday, Trump, the Republican nominee and former president, declared that his agreement to the September 10 debate on ABC has been canceled. He cited the withdrawal of Democratic President Joe Biden from the race following a poor performance in their initial debate as a key reason for his decision.
Trump indicated that he plans to appear on Fox News on September 4 in Pennsylvania, introducing what he described as rules “similar” to those of a traditional debate, but with a fully attended audience rather than a sparsely populated studio. He also warned that if Harris does not agree to the new arrangement with Fox, he would opt for a “major town hall” event instead.
Michael Tyler, a spokesperson for Harris, criticized Trump’s decision, suggesting he is “running scared” and seeking refuge on Fox News to avoid the debate he originally agreed to. Tyler emphasized that Harris remains committed to the September 10 time slot, expressing her determination to engage with a nationwide audience regardless of Trump’s absence.
In a follow-up post on Saturday, Trump reiterated his stance regarding Harris, stating, “I’ll see her on September 4 or, I won’t see her at all.”
Trump’s interest in debating Harris has varied since her entry into the presidential race. While he previously conveyed an obligation to debate, he also stated in a recent Fox News interview that he believes voters “already know everything” about both candidates. Harris has urged Trump to follow through on his commitment, challenging him to confront her directly about his criticisms.
Additionally, in his online posts, Trump mentioned his ongoing legal battle with ABC News, describing it as a “conflict of interest” that precludes his participation in their debate. Trump filed a lawsuit against the network in March following comments from anchor George Stephanopoulos regarding a jury ruling that found him liable for sexual abuse against columnist E. Jean Carroll, though the jury did not support her rape claims.
Despite the controversy, Trump previously accepted the ABC debate offer two months after initiating the lawsuit, as well as agreeing to participate in a CNN debate on June 27, which contributed to Biden’s exit from the race. The moderators for the ABC debate were set to be David Muir and Linsey Davis, rather than Stephanopoulos.
It is also noteworthy that Trump has opted out of all debates in the ongoing 2024 Republican primary process, a decision that reflects his strategy of engaging audiences through alternate platforms and maintaining control over his messaging.
Source
www.cbc.ca