During a press conference at Mar-a-Lago on Thursday, former President Donald Trump announced that he has agreed to participate in three televised debates with Democratic candidate Kamala Harris. This marks a shift from his earlier uncertainty about debating, as he initially expected to face President Joe Biden before Harris replaced him as the Democratic nominee.
Trump had previously expressed hesitation about the debates, citing the change in his opponent. He mentioned that a debate originally scheduled with ABC and co-hosted by George Stephanopoulos, which was planned when Biden was still the candidate, might be scrapped. Instead, Trump suggested that the debate be hosted on Fox News.
However, on Thursday, Trump confirmed that he has now agreed to debates on three major networks: ABC, NBC, and Fox News. The debates are scheduled for September 4, 10, and 25. Despite this, Trump noted that he has yet to finalize details regarding the location and audience for these events. Additionally, he mentioned that Harris’ team had not yet confirmed her participation.
Kamala Harris has previously expressed enthusiasm about debating Trump. She has stated that she looks forward to the opportunity and has been clear that she will attend the ABC debate, regardless of Trump’s participation. A line she frequently uses at rallies, “Say it to my face,” underscores her readiness to engage in direct confrontation with Trump.
As the debate dates approach, the political landscape is likely to heat up, with both candidates preparing to make their cases to the American public on national television. While Trump has now agreed to the debates, the final details, including Harris’ confirmation, remain to be seen.