Trump agrees to debate with Kamala Harris on Fox News
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Donald Trump says he has agreed to an offer from Fox News to hold a debate with US Vice President Kamala Harris on September 4.
“Rules will be similar to the rules of my debate with Sleepy Joe, who has been treated horribly by his party, but with a full arena audience,” Trump said on his Truth Social platform, referring to President Joe Biden.
The post was removed for a few minutes before being reposted, with Trump deleting his proposal for a “major” town hall gathering on the same date if Harris was “unwilling or unable to debate”.
Harris had responded in July she was “ready” after Fox News proposed the presidential debate between the two candidates on September 17.
After Biden dropped out of the election race on July 21 and backed Harris, Trump said he would not debate her because she was not the official candidate.
As proof of her lack of support, he added that former president Barack Obama had yet to endorse her.
But Obama did so a day later, and on Friday, Harris secured the delegate votes needed to clinch the Democratic nomination.
“I am honoured to be the presumptive Democratic nominee,” Harris said on a call with supporters on Friday.
Harris needed to pass a 2350-vote threshold from delegates to formally secure the nomination, her campaign said.
Democratic National Committee chair Jaime Harrison said “we will rally around Vice President Kamala Harris and demonstrate the strength of our party” during its convention in Chicago later in August.
Harris has not yet chosen her running mate and is expected to interview candidates over the weekend.
Reuters
