Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has proposed three presidential debates on three different television networks in September, after abandoning a planned debate that was to be hosted by ABC News once Mr. Biden is elected. left the presidential race.
Speaking to reporters from his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida on Thursday, Trump said his campaign had accepted three debate dates offered by Fox News, ABC News and NBC News, though the Harris campaign has not released a statement on the debates.
Asset said last week The vice president said the ABC News debate, originally scheduled for September 10, had been “canceled” and that he would instead debate on Fox News on September 4. Vice President Kamala Harris responded that she “will be there on September 10, as he agreed.”
But on Thursday, Trump appeared to suggest that the ABC News debate had been reinstated, as a campaign adviser said the ABC News debate date was Sept. 10. The Fox News date Trump mentioned was Sept. 4, though Harris has not agreed to that debate. And, according to a Trump campaign adviser, the NBC News debate Trump has agreed to participate in is Sept. 25.
“So we have these three dates and these networks, they’re looking forward to this date and these dates,” Trump said at Mar-a-Lago. “So we have September 4, 10 and 25. We’ve talked to the network executives and everything has been confirmed, except for a few pretty minor details.”
The composition and location of the audience remain to be determined, Trump said, adding that “the other side,” meaning Harris’ campaign, “has to agree to terms.”
“We think we should have three debates,” Trump said.
Trump also said CBS News would host a vice presidential debate next month, noting that his running mate, Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, has “really stepped up, he’s doing a fantastic job.” Harris’ campaign has agreed to host the vice presidential debate.
It was the first Trump-Biden debate in late June that triggered Mr Biden’s final withdrawal from the race and his replacement by Harris as the Democratic presidential nominee.
This is a developing story.
contributed to this report.
