According to ABC, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris have both agreed to participate in a presidential debate on September 10, which would pit the Republican and Democratic contenders against one another.
Shortly after Trump announced at a press conference on Thursday that he had suggested three presidential debates with three media networks and that he had agreed on specific dates in September, the announcement was made.
Days after announcing on social media that he would not be appearing on the network and citing a lawsuit he has filed, Trump is back on the ABC debate. His choice sets up a much-anticipated moment in an election when Democratic President Joe Biden withdrew his re-election effort and endorsed Harris, causing a major shift in the race.
“I think it’s very important to have debates,” Trump said Thursday. “I look forward to the debates because I think we have to set the record straight.”
The Harris campaign had no immediate comment.
After withdrawing from an ABC News debate set for September 10 due to President Biden’s revelation that he was not running for reelection, Trump had hinted at a statement regarding the presidential debate earlier this week. Although Trump had stated that Fox News should host the debate, he was open to reconsidering ABC on Wednesday.
In addition, Trump repeated Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio, his running mate, who had criticized Harris for not holding a press conference or sitting down for interviews since Biden withdrew from the campaign last month.
Every time Harris travels on Air Force Two, she is accompanied by a roaming press pool. When Trump takes his plane out on a campaign trip, no pre-arranged traveling press pool goes with him.
Journalists are traveling with Vance, who conducted campaign stops this week in states where Harris and her running companion, Tim Walz, had prior commitments. This included the incident on Wednesday in Wisconsin when Vance’s aircraft and Air Force Two ended up sharing the same tarmac. Before Vance could get to the Democrats’ plane, a motorcade with Harris, Walz, and members of the traveling press pulled away.
