Hours after Vice President Kamala Harris was officially named the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee, former President Donald Trump agreed to a debate with her moderated by Fox News on September 4.
Trump had previously suggested he would not debate Harris unless she secured the Democratic nomination. However, after Harris challenged him, Trump accepted the debate, which will occur in a few weeks.
Trump’s agreement follows Harris’s statement a week earlier that she was “ready” to debate him. She had criticized Trump for “backpedaling” on a previously scheduled debate on ABC News with President Joe Biden, according to Yahoo News.
On Truth Social, Trump explained that the ABC News debate was canceled due to ongoing litigation with the network and its anchor, George Stephanopoulos.
“I have agreed with FoxNews to debate Kamala Harris on Wednesday, September 4th. 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,” Trump wrote.
“The FoxNews 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 — BUT WITH A FULL ARENA AUDIENCE!…. he added.
I have agreed with FoxNews to debate Kamala Harris on Wednesday, September 4th. 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…
— Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) August 3, 2024
This revelation follows Trump’s earlier statements expressing his willingness to debate Harris multiple times.
Throughout the campaign, Trump has criticized Harris’s record as the “border czar” under the Biden administration. Biden appointed Harris to manage illegal immigration at the border early in his presidency.
Trump contends that Harris’s immigration views are significantly more radical than Biden’s. In a call with reporters on July 23, Trump condemned Harris, claiming that her election would lead to increased illegal immigration.
“If she becomes president, Kamala Harris will make the invasion exponentially worse,” he said.
Trump stated during a call with reporters that Harris’s past actions in San Francisco and at the border would lead to the country’s “permanent destruction.” He added, “I will seal the border, stop the invasion and keep America safe.”
Trump criticized Harris for visiting the border only once and far from the “epicenter of the invasion.” Harris had visited the El Paso Border Patrol Station and the El Paso del Norte Port of Entry after facing Republican criticism for avoiding the border.
“You don’t even call it a visit,” Trump said. “She went to a place that has no problem, and was there for a very short period of time. So essentially, she never visited the border as we know it.”
