Trump, Harris Clash Over Presidential Debate
US presidential candidates Donald Trump and Kamala Harris are in disagreement over the logistics of their first face-to-face debate, with each supporting a different network and date.
The Harris campaign advocates for a debate on ABC News on 10 September, a date initially reserved for a debate between President Joe Biden and Trump.
However, Trump asserts that the ABC debate was “terminated” following President Biden’s exit from the race and prefers a debate on Fox News on 4 September.
The presidential election will take place on 5 November, pitting Trump against Harris.
The conflict arose after President Biden withdrew from the race on 21 July, positioning Ms. Harris as the leading candidate for the Democratic nomination.
Since then, Trump has been ambiguous about participating in the previously planned ABC News debate.
US television networks have been in talks with both campaigns to finalize new dates.
On Friday night, Trump announced on his social media platform, Truth Social, that he had accepted Fox News’ proposal for a debate on 4 September, set to occur in Pennsylvania, a crucial swing state.
He revealed that Fox News’ Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum would moderate the debate and that the format would mirror his debate with Biden.
“If for any reason Kamala is unwilling or unable to debate on that date, I have agreed with Fox to do a major Town Hall on the same September 4th evening,” he wrote.
Trump also stated that the previous agreement was nullified due to Joe Biden’s withdrawal and the potential conflict of interest arising from his defamation case against the network.
The Harris campaign responded by accusing the former president of “running scared” and attempting to evade the agreed-upon debate, alleging he seeks Fox News – a conservative outlet – to “bail him out.”
“He needs to stop playing games and show up to the debate he already committed to on Sept 10,” Michael Tyler, Harris Campaign communications director said.
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Harris echoed this sentiment on social media, noting how “any time, any place” had transformed into “one specific time, one specific safe space”.
“I’ll be there on September 10th, like he agreed to,” she wrote.
Harris’ team expressed willingness to discuss additional debates, but only after the agreed-upon one on September 10th.
The anticipation surrounding their debate will be high, as observers keenly watch how the two contenders compare.
Harris officially secured the Democratic nomination on Friday.
During a campaign rally in Atlanta on Wednesday, Ms. Harris challenged Mr. Trump to debate her, saying, “if you got something to say, say it to my face.”
This debate news emerged just hours after a report by the Homeland Security Department criticized the US Secret Service for their handling of the January 6 Capitol attack.
Harris, then vice-president-elect, was reportedly within 20ft (6m) of a “viable” pipe bomb planted outside the Democratic National Committee’s headquarters in Washington.
That bomb, along with another found at the Republican National Committee headquarters, was placed the night before Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol. The identity of the individual who planted the bombs remains unknown.
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