Former President Donald Trump, the GOP presidential nominee, said he is looking forward to debates with Vice President Kamala Harris, who has become the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee.
However, Mr. Trump appeared to count out ABC News, which is slated to host the next debate on Sept. 10. He is pushing instead for Fox News to host it.
Mr. Trump told reporters Tuesday that he feels an obligation to debate Ms. Harris, though he is not thrilled about the prospect of ABC sponsoring the next showdown.
“I would be willing to do more than one debate, actually,” Mr. Trump.
Earlier on social media, Mr. Trump criticized ABC News as biased.
“ABC Fake News is such a joke, among the absolute WORST in the business. They try to make Crooked Joe into a brave warrior because he didn’t have the ‘guts’ to fight it out — He quit! They then tried to make ‘Sleepy’ look like a great President - he was the WORST, and Lyin’ Kamala into a competent person, which she is not,” Mr. Trump said in a Truth Social post.
“ABC, the home of George Slopadopolus, is not worthy of holding a Debate, of which I hope there will be many! MAGA2024,” Mr. Trump said, referring to George Stephanopoulos, a former Democratic adviser.
In May, Mr. Trump agreed to debate President Biden on ABC News for their second faceoff.
The Trump campaign found itself retooling its strategy since Mr. Biden announced Sunday he would not seek reelection and endorsed Ms. Harris to succeed him.
The decision came weeks after Mr. Biden bombed in his first debate with Mr. Trump, on June 27. The poor performance reinforced concerns about the 81-year-old’s mental acuity, starting a cascade of calls from Democrats to pull out of the race.
“The debate really was his ending,” Mr. Trump said. “He was not good, and I think that was the end of Biden, frankly.”
Both Mr. Trump and Ms. Harris have been on the primary presidential debate stage several times in the past, but this would be the first time Ms. Harris debates an opponent as the Democratic presidential nominee.
Ms. Harris had a big debate moment of her own against Mr. Biden when she ran against him during the Democratic presidential primary five years ago and took him to task over his opposition to busing as a means of desegregating American schools.
The House Republican campaign arm’s chairman, Rep. Richard Hudson of North Carolina, said when he thinks of a potential debate between Mr. Trump and Ms. Harris, it “makes him smile” and that he will “bring the popcorn.”
“I think it’d be fantastic. I think Donald Trump, if you compare the Donald Trump presidency and the impact on the economy, our safety, of our neighborhoods, on the border, on the world and compare that to the Biden-Harris presidency,” he said, “There’s no comparison.”
The Washington Times reached out to the Harris campaign and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee for comment.
• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.
• Kerry Picket can be reached at kpicket@washingtontimes.com.
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