Donald Trump's previous claims that it would be "inappropriate" to follow through with a debate against Kamala Harris because Democrats had not yet formally nominated a candidate in the wake of President Biden's decision to back out of his reelection campaign no longer holds water.
On Friday, Democratic National Committee Chairman Jaime Harrison announced that Harris officially won enough support from Democratic delegates to formally secure her party's nomination for president and, hours later, Trump posted to Truth Social that he's "agreeing" to debate her on a new date — Sept. 4, rather than Sept. 10 — and on a new network — Fox News, rather than ABC — and this time, he wants it to go down in front of a "full arena audience."
"I have agreed with Fox News to debate Kamala Harris on Wednesday, September 4th," Trump writes in his post. "The debate was previously scheduled against Sleepy Joe Biden on ABC, but has been terminated in that Biden will no longer be a participant, and I am in litigation against ABC Network and George Slopadopoulos, thereby creating a conflict of interest. The Fox News debate will be held in the Great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, at a site in an area to be determined. The Moderators of the debate will be Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum, and the rules will be similar to the rules of my debate with Sleepy Joe, who has been treated horribly by his party."
On Saturday morning, Harris' team issued a statement on Trump's debate proposal, writing, "Donald Trump is running scared and trying to back out of the debate he already agreed to and running straight to Fox News to bail him out. He needs to stop playing games and show up to the debate he already committed to on Sept 10. The Vice President will be there one way or the other to take the opportunity to speak to a prime time national audience. We're happy to discuss further debates after the one both campaigns have already agreed to. Mr. Anytime, anywhere, anyplace should have no problem with that unless he's too scared to show up on the 10th."
Trump's suggested terms for a debate with Harris follow a Friday push from her team for him to "man up," and an earlier call from Harris made in a now-viral video clip from a recent rally, when she urged Trump to say whatever he has to say about her to her face.
In an update from a source familiar with the matter that was relayed to Salon on Saturday evening, they offer background on the specificities of the originally planned ABC debate, stating:
In May 2024, Trump agreed to the ABC News debate on September 10. This commitment was two months after Trump filed the lawsuit against ABC News (in March 2024).
George Stephanopoulos is not moderating.
Trump and Biden accepted the ABC News debate for September 10 and Harris said she would commit to it.
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