Former US President and Republican candidate, Donald Trumpassured this Tuesday that he has reached an agreement with the Democrats to, as planned, debate with the vice president, Kamala Harris, September 10 on ABC News.
However, the Harris campaign made it known that had asked the network to keep the microphones open to give them an immediate right of reply, and Trump insisted that an agreement had been reached in the past to keep them silent.
Disagreements over the September 10th meeting had already put its holding in doubt this week.
Trump criticizes the TV channel
Despite agreeing to the debate, Trump has made it clear that he does not like the chosen channel. “I have reached an agreement with the Radical Left Democrats for a debate with Comrade Kamala Harris. It will be broadcast live on ABC FAKE NEWS, by far the most disgusting and unfair channel in the industry,” he said on his social network, Truth Social.
The Republican accused the channel of “hostility” towards conservatives and He complained that a change in the rules was being consideredwhich is why he said he preferred to do it on NBC, CBS or FOX News.
The rules, he said, will be the same as those set on June 27, the day he faced off with the then Democratic candidate, President Joe Biden. The latter’s poor performance in that debate led to his withdrawal from the re-election race in July.
Trump added that Harris has not agreed to debate him on September 4 on Fox News and stressed that he is keeping that possibility open in case the Democrat changes her mind, “just as she has done with each of her cherished beliefs.”
On September 10 in Philadelphia, Trump said, both candidates will be standing and will not be able to have notes available to them. He also indicated that ABC News had assured him that the debate would be “fair” and that no one would be given questions in advance.
Harris campaign questions debate guidelines
Kamala Harris’ campaign, however, says that this is not what was agreed upon, and that the rules of the debate are still being discussed with ABC.
“Both candidates have made clear publicly their willingness to debate with open microphones during the debate to allow for meaningful exchanges, but it appears Donald Trump is letting his handlers get the upper hand. Sad!” the Democrat’s campaign said in a statement.
ABC has not yet responded to these latest statements.
Microphones were muted during Trump-Biden debate in June of someone who did not have a turn to speak.
