In a recent turn of events, former President Donald Trump has softened his stance regarding the highly anticipated debate with Vice President Kamala Harris, signaling a willingness to negotiate the terms of the showdown.
Initially, Trump insisted that any debate must be hosted by the conservative-leaning Fox News network. However, in a Wednesday interview on Fox, he said, “The most important thing is we get a debate. I want to debate her. I think it’s important for the country that we debate.”
This shift comes just days after Trump’s firm stance on Fox News as the only acceptable platform for the debate, which left many questioning whether a debate would happen at all. Trump’s latest comments suggest that he is eager for the confrontation, regardless of the network that hosts it.
Trump also took the opportunity to criticize Harris, labeling her as “nasty” and “not a good debater,” though he did not provide further details. Despite the harsh words, Trump appeared confident that a debate would take place in the near future, saying, “We’ll see because we’ll be debating her, I guess, in the pretty near future.”
This debate drama follows Trump’s previous agreements to face off with President Joe Biden. The first debate on CNN ended in a widely criticized performance by Biden, leading to his eventual withdrawal from the race and endorsement of Harris. The second debate, originally scheduled on ABC for September 10, was expected to see Harris stepping in for Biden. Harris has been vocal about her willingness to confront Trump, challenging him to “say it to my face” during a campaign rally.
However, Trump has declared that the original debate agreement is null and void after Biden’s exit, instead proposing a new debate on September 4, to be hosted by Fox News in front of a live audience. As of now, Harris has not agreed to this new arrangement, leaving the final details of the Trump Harris debate still up in the air.