Late Tuesday, former President Donald Trump rejected the idea of a second debate with Vice President Kamala Harris as the 2024 presidential election cycle approaches its final weeks.
Following the vice presidential debate between Sen. JD Vance (R-OH) and Minnesota Democratic Governor Tim Walz, Harris’ team issued a statement renewing their request for a second showdown with Trump before the November election.
“Vice President Harris believes that the American people deserve to see her and Trump on the debate stage one more time. She will be in Atlanta on October 23 – Donald Trump should step up and face the voters,” said Harris campaign manager Jen O’Malley Dillon.
On Truth Social, Trump responded, “Lyin’ Kamala just put out a request for another Debate because they lost so badly tonight – Again, it’s like the fighter who lost, gets up and says, ‘I WANT A REMATCH.’”
Trump went on to say he “beat” former President Joe Biden and “then beat” Harris. He added: “I’m not looking to do it again, too far down the line. Votes are already cast – And I’m leading BIG in the Polls. I’ll MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, she’s incapable of it!”
In June, CNN hosted the first presidential debate for the 2024 general election, where Trump squared off against Biden. Biden’s shaky performance raised concerns among his supporters, leading him to step back amid the pressure.
After Harris was named the Democratic nominee in early August, Trump proposed three debates against her: a Fox News debate on September 4, an ABC News debate on September 10, and an NBC News debate on September 25.
Harris agreed to the ABC debate, but her team wouldn’t commit to a second until the first one concluded. After the debate, they called for a rematch in October. However, within days, Trump announced he wouldn’t participate in another debate. Still, Harris accepted an invitation for a CNN debate on October 23 in Atlanta.
The originally proposed Fox News date ended up being used for a town hall with Trump, and the NBC debate never took place. Harris’ team also turned down a challenge from Vance for Walz to participate in a second VP debate hosted by CNN following the CBS debate on Tuesday.
Polls indicate that Harris performed well in the ABC debate, despite criticism from the Right regarding how the moderators handled Trump. Early surveys suggest Vance narrowly outperformed Walz on Tuesday, with the overall race remaining tight.
