Then-Democratic vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris (left) speaks during a debate in Salt Lake City, while former President Donald Trump addresses the nation. Trump announced he’s opting out of a scheduled debate with Harris and has instead confirmed a date earlier in September for a discussion on Fox News Channel.
Vice President Kamala Harris has responded to former President Donald Trump’s recent decision to switch the date and format of the upcoming televised presidential debate. Harris stated she’d see him at the event “he already agreed to,” to which Trump retorted with further declarations.
“I’ll see her on September 4th or, I won’t see her at all,” Trump announced, referring to a debate he claims he agreed to with Fox News.
The GOP nominee initially agreed to debate President Biden on September 10 but later stated he had coordinated with Fox News to instead debate Harris on September 4.
In response, Harris, the likely Democratic presidential nominee, shared her thoughts on X, noting how “any time, any place” had transformed into “one specific time, one specific safe space.”
A statement from Harris’ campaign accused Trump of “running scared and attempting to back out of the debate he had already confirmed,” expressing concerns that he was looking for Fox News to “bail him out.”
The statement further claimed Trump was “playing games” and that Harris would gladly discuss additional debates once Trump participated on September 10, as previously agreed.
Trump cited two reasons for his decision to switch from ABC News to Fox: he asserted that Biden had withdrawn from the race and pointed to “litigation” against ABC and its chief political anchor, which he described as a “conflict of interest.”
The debate Trump mentioned would be hosted by Fox News in front of a full arena audience in Pennsylvania. He emphasized that the September 4 date was “convenient and appropriate” as it would precede the start of early voting for the November 5 presidential election.
