Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Trump Says He Won’t Debate Harris Again
d8a347b41db1ddee634e2d67d08798c102ef09ac
By The New York Times
Published 2 months ago on
September 12, 2024

Former President Donald Trump walks from the wings to the stage for his debate with Vice President Kamala Harris, at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Sept. 10, 2024. Trump offered a dire portrait of America during the debate, often relying on false and debunked claims as he described “a failing nation.” (Doug Mills/The New York Times)

Share

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Former President Donald Trump insisted on Thursday that there “will be no” second debate against Vice President Kamala Harris, two days after a faceoff in which he was widely criticized as delivering a poor performance filled with missed opportunities.

Rarely are the declarations he makes about his future plans ironclad. If anything, they are often the opening bid of a negotiation.

And so it was unclear Thursday whether his position would hold. Nonetheless, Trump made a declarative statement that would require some explanation should he reverse himself.

In a post on his social media website, Truth Social, Trump maintained, despite overwhelming opinions to the contrary from commentators as well as some of his own advisers and allies, that he had won the debate with Harris on Tuesday night hosted by ABC News, and that therefore he did not need to engage in another.

The Harris campaign, by contrast, immediately said at the end of Tuesday’s debate that it would like another.

“When a prizefighter loses a fight, the first words out of his mouth are, ‘I WANT A REMATCH,’” Trump wrote, pointing to some unscientific internet polls suggesting that he won.

In his post Thursday, he accused Harris and the Biden administration of destroying the country.

“Everyone knows this, and all of the other problems caused by Kamala and Joe — it was discussed in great detail during the first debate with Joe, and the second debate with comrade Harris,” he said. In all capital letters, he added: “Kamala should focus on what she should have done during the last almost four year period. There will be no third debate!”

The campaigns have been in discussions recently with NBC News about the possibility of a debate in the coming weeks. A spokesperson for NBC declined to comment.

Biden’s disastrous performance in the June debate against Trump precipitated the end of his reelection campaign. Biden and Trump had agreed to a second debate, hosted by ABC, in September. After Harris became the Democrats’ nominee, Trump announced the ABC debate would not happen, then said he had committed to it, and then proceeded to toy with dropping out for days before ultimately going ahead with it.

Campaigning in North Carolina on Thursday, Harris said “we owe it to the voters” to debate again.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

By Maggie Haberman and Shane Goldmacher/Doug Mills
c. 2024 The New York Times Company

RELATED TOPICS:

DON'T MISS

Man Found Dead in Fresno’s Roeding Park Identified as Bay Area Resident

DON'T MISS

Fresno Authorities Search for Domestic Violence Suspect Considered Armed and Dangerous

DON'T MISS

NBA Memo to Players Warns About Organized Home Break-Ins

DON'T MISS

Fresno School Employees Say District’s Job Shifts Endanger Kids and Staff

DON'T MISS

Assemblymember Arambula Says He’ll Run for Fresno City Council

DON'T MISS

Business, Environmental Interests Oppose South Fresno Industrial Plan. What’s Next?

DON'T MISS

Take a Bow, Bulldog Football Fans. Some Power 4 Schools Would Love to Have You.

DON'T MISS

Community Hospital CEO Craig Castro Will Retire in Early 2025

DON'T MISS

Conor McGregor Must Pay Woman $250K in Sexual Assault Case, Civil Jury Rules

DON'T MISS

Judge Delays Trump Hush Money Sentencing in Order to Decide Where Case Should Go Now

UP NEXT

Fresno Authorities Search for Domestic Violence Suspect Considered Armed and Dangerous

UP NEXT

NBA Memo to Players Warns About Organized Home Break-Ins

UP NEXT

Fresno School Employees Say District’s Job Shifts Endanger Kids and Staff

UP NEXT

Assemblymember Arambula Says He’ll Run for Fresno City Council

UP NEXT

Business, Environmental Interests Oppose South Fresno Industrial Plan. What’s Next?

UP NEXT

Take a Bow, Bulldog Football Fans. Some Power 4 Schools Would Love to Have You.

UP NEXT

Community Hospital CEO Craig Castro Will Retire in Early 2025

UP NEXT

Conor McGregor Must Pay Woman $250K in Sexual Assault Case, Civil Jury Rules

UP NEXT

Judge Delays Trump Hush Money Sentencing in Order to Decide Where Case Should Go Now

UP NEXT

Trump Gave Interior Nominee One Directive for a Half-Billion Acres of US Land: ‘Drill’

Fresno School Employees Say District’s Job Shifts Endanger Kids and Staff

2 hours ago

Assemblymember Arambula Says He’ll Run for Fresno City Council

2 hours ago

Business, Environmental Interests Oppose South Fresno Industrial Plan. What’s Next?

2 hours ago

Take a Bow, Bulldog Football Fans. Some Power 4 Schools Would Love to Have You.

3 hours ago

Community Hospital CEO Craig Castro Will Retire in Early 2025

4 hours ago

Conor McGregor Must Pay Woman $250K in Sexual Assault Case, Civil Jury Rules

4 hours ago

Judge Delays Trump Hush Money Sentencing in Order to Decide Where Case Should Go Now

4 hours ago

Trump Gave Interior Nominee One Directive for a Half-Billion Acres of US Land: ‘Drill’

5 hours ago

Fresno State Gets $500K Grant for Students Facing Homelessness

5 hours ago

NATO and Ukraine to Hold Emergency Talks After Russia’s Attack With New Hypersonic Missile

5 hours ago

Man Found Dead in Fresno’s Roeding Park Identified as Bay Area Resident

A man found dead Thursday afternoon in Fresno’s Roeding Park died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, the Fresno Police Department said in ...

1 hour ago

Solomone Toki, 44, of the Bay Area, was found dead in Fresno’s Roeding Park died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said. (Fresno PD)
1 hour ago

Man Found Dead in Fresno’s Roeding Park Identified as Bay Area Resident

Fresno County authorities are searching for Ray Weston McCall Jr., 43, wanted on domestic violence charges, and caution the public not to approach him. (Fresno County SO)
1 hour ago

Fresno Authorities Search for Domestic Violence Suspect Considered Armed and Dangerous

1 hour ago

NBA Memo to Players Warns About Organized Home Break-Ins

2 hours ago

Fresno School Employees Say District’s Job Shifts Endanger Kids and Staff

2 hours ago

Assemblymember Arambula Says He’ll Run for Fresno City Council

2 hours ago

Business, Environmental Interests Oppose South Fresno Industrial Plan. What’s Next?

3 hours ago

Take a Bow, Bulldog Football Fans. Some Power 4 Schools Would Love to Have You.

4 hours ago

Community Hospital CEO Craig Castro Will Retire in Early 2025

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend