Donald Trump Agrees to Fox News Debate in September as Kamala Harris Sticks to ABC Debate Plan Even If He Doesn’t Attend

Brenton Blanchet
·4 min read

“It’s interesting how ‘anytime, any place’ becomes ‘one specific time, one specific safe place,’ ” Harris said about Trump

<p>Getty(2)</p> Donald Trump; Kamala Harris

Getty(2)

Donald Trump; Kamala Harris

Former President Donald Trump is pushing for — and says he has already agreed to — a new presidential debate hosted by Fox News after citing former opponent Joe Biden's absence as one of the reasons for him not proceeding with a previously scheduled ABC News debate.

As the new Democratic presidential nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris has since announced her intention to stick to the Sept. 10 debate on ABC News — previously announced in May between Trump and Biden before he dropped out — even if Trump doesn't show up.

In the late hours of Friday, Aug. 2, the Republican candidate, 78, announced on his Truth Social platform that he "agreed" with Fox News to debate Harris, 59, on Sept. 4. In the post, he claimed his ABC News debate was "terminated in that Biden will no longer be a participant." Fox News had previously invited Trump and Harris to debate on Sept. 17.

<p>Getty(2)</p> Donald Trump; Kamala Harris

Getty(2)

Donald Trump; Kamala Harris

Related: Kamala Harris Responds to Donald Trump Saying She 'Turned Black': 'The American People Deserve Better'

Trump cited a "a conflict of interest" while announcing his decision to not participate in the ABC News debate, writing that he's "in litigation against ABC Network" and George Stephanopoulos.

As previously reported, Trump filed a lawsuit against the political commentator, claiming that Stephanopoulos defamed him during an interview when he used the word "rape" when mentioning Trump being found liable for sexually abusing and defaming former Elle advice columnist E. Jean Carroll in a civil trial last year.

While Trump is now citing the litigation as a reason for his debate move to Fox News, he initially filed his suit against ABC News and Stephanopoulos in March — weeks before he and Biden agreed to the debate.

Trump wrote on his social media platform that the he's since shifted his focus on the Fox News debate, which he said would be held in Pennsylvania at a "site in an area to be determined," with Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum as moderators.

"...And the Rules will be similar to the Rules of my Debate with Sleepy Joe, who has been treated horribly by his Party," Trump claimed. "BUT WITH A FULL ARENA AUDIENCE!"

On Saturday, Aug, 3, Harris responded to a screenshot of Trump's post with a message on X (formerly Twitter): “It’s interesting how ‘anytime, any place’ becomes ‘one specific time, one specific safe place.' I’ll be there on September 10th, like he agreed to. I hope to see him there," Harris wrote, referring to the previously agreed upon ABC News debate.

<p>Brandon Bell/Getty</p> Donald Trump in March 2023

Brandon Bell/Getty

Donald Trump in March 2023

Related: Donald Trump Says Kamala Harris, Whose Husband Is Jewish, 'Doesn't Like Jewish People'

In her response, Harris appeared to quote a message Trump shared with his supporters at a rally in Wisconsin in April, when he called on Biden to debate him "any time, any place" and "any way you want."

Trump then claimed on Truth Social after Harris' post that she "doesn’t even want to debate me" during his proposed debate time after he backed out of the ABC News debate. He also claimed that she was "afraid to do it."

Meanwhile, Harris Campaign Communications Director Michael Tyler told ABC News in a statement that Trump is "running scared and trying to back out of the debate he already agreed to and running straight to Fox News to bail him out."

"He needs to stop playing games and show up to the debate he already committed to on Sept 10," Tyler told the outlet. "The Vice President will be there one way or the other to take the opportunity to speak to a prime time national audience. We’re happy to discuss further debates after the one both campaigns have already agreed to. Mr. Anytime, Anywhere, Anyplace should have no problem with that unless he’s too scared to show up on the 10th.”

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In a Fox News interview earlier this week, per PBS, Trump claimed he could "make a case" for not participating in a debate against the vice president, and said he'd "probably end up debating" Harris.

In May, both Biden and Trump agreed upon two debates — the one that already took place on CNN in June and the upcoming ABC News debate in September.

The agreement came after the Biden campaign announced, per NPR, that the current president would not participate in terms laid out by the Commission on Presidential Debates, which has facilitated presidential debates since 1988. The Republican National Committee also shared in April 2022 that it was quitting the Commission on Presidential Debates, per the outlet.

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