- Trump rules out another presidential debate against Harris
- The former president claims he ‘won’ the first debate and doesn’t need a second
- He says Kamala Harris wants a rematch because she lost, despite polls suggesting otherwise
Trump rules out another presidential debate against Harris
Donald Trump has officially ruled out a second presidential debate against his opponent, Kamala Harris, ahead of November’s election. Speaking on Thursday, two days after their first debate in Philadelphia, Trump claimed Harris only wanted a rematch because he had “clearly” won the initial face-off.
While Trump declared victory, several snap polls following Tuesday’s debate suggested voters believed Harris had outperformed him. Trump responded to the calls for another debate by urging Harris to “focus” on her responsibilities as vice president.
Harris, however, hit back at a campaign rally in North Carolina, stating that both candidates “owe” the American people another debate, emphasising the high stakes of the upcoming election.
Just two months before Election Day, polls show that the race between Trump and Harris is extremely close. Both candidates declared victory following the 90-minute debate on ABC News, where Harris targeted Trump with several personal attacks. She highlighted his crowd sizes at rallies and questioned his role during the January 6th Capitol riot, placing him on the defensive.
Trump and his supporters have since accused the ABC moderators of being biased in favour of Harris.