Trump is playing political chess right now.
In a recent interview, former President Donald Trump raised doubts on the importance of debating Vice President Kamala Harris amidst growing pressure from her campaign for him to engage in a debate. Speaking with Maria Bartiromo on Fox Business Network, Trump expressed his willingness to debate a Democratic challenger but hinted that he might choose to bypass it altogether.
Trump explained that he is open to debates but questioned their relevance given his strong polling position. “I’m leading by a significant margin in the polls,” Trump stated, noting the shift in the political landscape following President Biden’s withdrawal from the race. He remarked that while Harris might be an improvement over Biden, he ultimately believes she could prove to be a more challenging opponent.
Trump highlighted that it was Biden’s team that initially sought a debate in June, only for Democrats to later push for Biden to step down. Reflecting on this, Trump remarked, “If I didn’t participate in the debate, they’d accuse me of avoiding it. The narrative remains the same now.” He questioned the need for a debate, emphasizing that both he and Harris are well-known figures, making the debate less necessary.
These comments from Trump, made during a Thursday recording and aired on Friday, reveal his ongoing reluctance to commit to debating Harris, even as she edges closer to becoming the Democratic nominee. Earlier, Trump had expressed a willingness to debate her but had conditioned his commitment on her official nomination status. His campaign has since suggested he might be open to a debate but is not yet ready to make a definitive commitment.
The Trump and Biden campaigns had previously agreed to a debate scheduled for September 10, hosted by ABC News. However, with Biden no longer in the race, Trump has indicated that he might seek adjustments to the debate, including possibly changing the host or format. He has voiced particular dissatisfaction with ABC News, suggesting that a Fox News-hosted debate might be more appropriate.
Harris, meanwhile, energized a crowd in Atlanta on Tuesday and directly challenged Trump to reconsider participating in the debate. “Well Trump, I do hope you will reconsider seeing me on the debate stage, because as the saying goes, if you have something to say, say it to my face,” she declared, addressing the camera with resolve.
