Former US President Donald Trump has announced he will not participate in a second televised debate ahead of November's presidential election. While Democratic candidate Vice President Kamala Harris accepted CNN's invitation for a debate on October 23, Trump told supporters at a rally that it was "too late" since voting has already begun.
“Donald Trump should have no problem agreeing to this debate. It is the same format and setup as the CNN debate he attended and said he won in June, when he praised CNN’s moderators, rules and ratings,” said Harris' campaign chair, Jen O’Malley Dillon, in a statement.
Harris herself later confirmed on X, saying, “I will gladly accept a second presidential debate on October 23. I hope Donald Trump will join me.”
In June, Donald Trump debated Joe Biden while the sitting president was still seeking re-election. However, Biden’s poor performance led to his withdrawal from the race in July, with Vice President Kamala Harris stepping in as the nominee.
When asked about Harris accepting CNN’s debate invitation, a Trump spokesperson referenced the former president’s earlier remarks that there would be no further debates.
Speaking at a rally in Wilmington, North Carolina, on Saturday, he claimed victory in the previous debate and stated, "it's just too late" for another, citing the fact that voting had already begun. He also accused Harris of wanting another debate because "she's losing badly."
In-person voting began on Friday in Minnesota, Virginia, and South Dakota, with some postal ballots sent out a few days earlier.
"It would be unprecedented in modern history for there to just be one general election debate," Jen O'Malley Dillon said in a statement on Saturday. "Debates offer a unique chance for voters to see the candidates side by side and take stock of their competing visions for America."
Harris and Trump faced off in their first presidential debate on September 10 in Philadelphia. Harris, the Democratic nominee, was widely considered the winner, though Trump rejected that verdict.
In their previous encounter, both candidates traded sharp attacks, with Trump labeling Harris a "radical left liberal" and a Marxist, accusing her of destroying the country. Harris, in turn, mocked Trump, downplayed his rally sizes, and cited criticism from Republicans.
Two days after the debate, Trump declined to participate in another and cited Harris’s invitation for a rematch as proof that he had won the first.
The vice-presidential debate is scheduled for October 1 between Harris’s running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, and Ohio Senator JD Vance.
