U.S. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and Democratic contender Kamala Harris are set to debate on September 10 on ABC, as confirmed by the network on Thursday. Trump, however, expressed a desire for two additional debates in September, one on Fox and the other on NBC. During a somewhat disjointed press conference at his Palm Beach residence, Trump suggested adding debates on September 4 and 25 but did not provide details, such as whether an audience would be present. It is also unclear if his campaign has officially proposed these debates to Harris' team, which has not yet commented.
This debate was originally scheduled before Harris, the sitting Vice President, replaced President Joe Biden as the Democratic candidate less than three weeks ago, significantly altering the election landscape. Trump's Thursday press conference marked his first public appearance since Harris named Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate on Tuesday. Harris and Walz have since led rallies in key battleground states like Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin, attracting tens of thousands of attendees and energizing Democratic voters.
Harris' swift rise has forced Trump's campaign to reconsider its strategy. Polls indicate that Harris has closed the gap Trump had over President Biden, with Democrats raising hundreds of millions in recent weeks. Despite this, Trump claimed he has not adjusted his approach in response to Harris' challenge. During an extended Q&A session, Trump criticized Harris and Walz as weak candidates, despite evidence suggesting otherwise. He also expressed regret that he won't be facing Biden in the election, insinuating that the President was unfairly ousted from the Democratic ticket.
Trump also downplayed the size of Harris' campaign events, even though they have recently matched his in attendance. He further exaggerated the size of the crowd at his January 6, 2021, rally, comparing it to the historic turnout for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech in 1963, a claim that is not accurate.