On Thursday, former President Donald Trump announced during a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago home in West Palm Beach, Fla., that his campaign had secured agreements with three networks for upcoming presidential debates.
"I think it's very important to have debates, and we've agreed with Fox on a date of September 4," Trump said. "We've agreed with NBC — fairly full agreement, subject to them — on September 10, and we've agreed with ABC on September 25. So we have those three dates and those networks. They're very anxiously awaiting that date and those dates. So we have... September 4, September 10, and September 25. We have spoken to the heads of the networks, and it's all been confirmed, other than some fairly minor details... The other side has to agree to the terms. They may or may not agree."
However, he noted that the Harris campaign had not yet confirmed participation for any of the proposed dates.
"I hope she agrees to them," Trump said. "The other side has to agree to the terms. They may or may not agree."
"We have to set the record straight," he added.
It seems unlikely that Harris would agree to any of the debates, but especially not the one that Fox News is set to host. She won't even answer questions from a media that loves her.
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ABC News has reportedly confirmed that both campaigns have agreed to participate in the previously planned September 10 debate. However, the Associated Press reports that the Harris campaign has yet to confirm whether she will participate.
Trump suggests he would participate in as many as three debates against Harris. He said he’s willing to appear separately on Fox, NBC and ABC, all spread across September.
The former president has been inconsistent in recent weeks about his debate preferences, and Harris has not committed to any of Trump’s more recent ideas. Trump had agreed previously to a debate against President Biden on ABC in late September but then he pulled out of that commitment and called on Harris to join him in a Fox News debate.
ABC has said it would continue its regularly scheduled event and host whichever of the candidates shows up. Trump was noncommittal when asked if he would move forward if Harris only agreed to the ABC debate.
I think Trump should insist that Harris agree to all three debates or none. Meanwhile, Harris hasn't spoken to the media since becoming the presumptive nominee of her party.
"It's Day 18 and Kamala Harris is still ducking the media — no press conferences, interviews, or substantive reporter engagement of any kind," the Trump campaign said in a statement Thursday. "If Kamala can’t face the press, how can she face down an economy decimated by surging inflation, an out-of-control border that allows criminals to stream into communities, or America’s adversaries on the world stage who continue to take advantage of a weak presidency. Or maybe she doesn’t have an answer as to why she chose Tim Walz, who has been exposed as a liar and fraud, misrepresenting his service record throughout the years."