Donald Trump has threatened to pull out presidential debate with Kamala Harris, with claims that the ABC network, which was previously agreed upon, is biased.
The campaigns of Donald Trump and Kamala Harris clashed on Monday over the upcoming U.S. presidential debate scheduled for next month.
“Why would I do the Debate against Kamala Harris on that network?” Trump, who is making his third run for the White House, wrote on social media late Sunday, accusing the network of unfairness. “Stay tuned!!!”
Meanwhile, Vice President Harris’s team is pushing for the return of open microphones during the event.
Brian Fallon, a spokesperson for Harris, stated on Monday that the vice president’s campaign wants the microphones to remain on throughout the debate, rather than being muted when the opponent is speaking.
“The Vice President is ready to deal with Trump’s constant lies and interruptions in real-time. Trump should stop hiding behind the mute button,” Fallon said in a statement.
Republican Presidential Candidate, Donald Trump
Jason Miller, a senior adviser to Trump’s campaign, responded by saying that the Trump team had already agreed to the same terms as CNN’s June debate, which included muted microphones. “We said no changes to the agreed-upon rules,” Miller added.
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However, Trump later told reporters that he preferred having his microphone on, expressing his dislike for the muted format used previously, and added that he was not doing extensive preparation for the debate against Harris.
“Doesn’t matter to me. I’d rather have it, probably, on. But the agreement was that it would be the same as it was last time,” Trump said. “I’m not spending a lot of time on it. I think my whole life I’ve been preparing for a debate. You can’t cram knowledge into your head, for you know, 30 years of knowledge in one week.”
ABC representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Harris secured the Democratic nomination after President Joe Biden stepped aside last month and committed to the September 10 debate hosted by ABC News, previously agreed upon by Biden and Trump.
Biden had initially pushed for earlier debates to boost his campaign and focus attention on Trump. However, his own faltering performance during the June 27 debate led to concerns within his party, resulting in his decision to end his reelection campaign weeks later.
The vice presidential candidates, Republican U.S. Senator JD Vance and Democratic Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, are scheduled to debate on October 1 on CBS News.
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