Trump agrees to Fox News debate against Kamala Harris in front of ‘full arena audience’ & reveals ‘conflict of interest’
DONALD Trump has announced that he’s agreed to a debate with Kamala Harris on Fox News.
The former president wrote on Truth Social late Friday night that the debate would be held on the network on September 4.
Trump previously had a debate scheduled with President Biden on ABC on September 10 before Harris stepped in as the Democratic nominee.
According to Trump, the debate will be held in Pennsylvania and Fox broadcasters Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum will moderate.
Trump added that “the Rules will be similar to the Rules of my Debate with Sleepy Joe, who has been treated horribly by his Party – BUT WITH A FULL ARENA AUDIENCE!….”
Trump added that Harris and Biden share similar policies and he looks forward to meeting her on the debate stage.
“This date is convenient and appropriate in that it is just prior to the September 6th start of Early Voting in the 2024 Presidential Election,” Trump concluded.
In a separate Truth Social post, Trump went on to slam the Democratic Party for nominating Harris after Biden suspended his campaign.
“I spent Hundreds of Millions of Dollars, Time, and Effort fighting Joe, and when I won the Debate, they threw a new Candidate into the ring. Not fair, but it is what it is!” he wrote.
Neither the Harris’ campaign nor Fox News has confirmed the debate, and it’s unclear whether Harris has agreed or will agree to the Fox showdown.
The U.S. Sun has reached out to Fox and ABC for confirmation on the debate and didn’t immediately hear back.
Harris’ office and Trump’s campaign staff also did not reply for comment.
ABC LITIGATION
Trump added in his post that the litigation between ABC Network and George Stephanopoulos created a “conflict of interest.”
Trump was referencing a defamation lawsuit filed in March alleging that ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos said the former president was found liable for raping writer E. Jean Carroll.
Trump was found liable for sexual abuse in a Manhattan civil court last year. The jury did not find him liable for rape.
A federal judge in Florida ruled that the defamation suit could move forward.
ABC’s legal team moved to have the defamation case thrown out, but Judge Cecilia Altonaga in Miami ruled a jury would hear the arguments of the case.
Trump's comment on Biden ending reelection bid
On July 21, 2024, President Joe Biden announced that he will not seek the Democratic nomination for president and ended his reelection campaign.
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump’s comment on Biden ending his reelection bid:
“Crooked Joe Biden was not fit to run for President, and is certainly not fit to serve – And never was!
“He only attained the position of President by lies, Fake News, and not leaving his Basement.
“All those around him, including his Doctor and the Media, knew that he wasn’t capable of being President, and he wasn’t – And now, look what he’s done to our Country, with millions of people coming across our Border, totally unchecked and unvetted, many from prisons, mental institutions, and record numbers of terrorists.
“We will suffer greatly because of his presidency, but we will remedy the damage he has done very quickly. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
DEBATE BACK AND FORTH
Trump and Harris have gone back in forth during their speaking engagements on whether a debate would happen.
As recently as Friday morning, Trump told Fox Business he wanted to debate Harris but didn’t see a reason for it.
“Well, I want to. Right now I say, ‘Why should I do a debate?’ I’m leading in the polls, and everybody knows her, everybody knows me,” he said.
There was initially a debate scheduled for September 10, hosted by ABC News agreed to by the Trump and Biden campaigns.
When Biden dropped out of the race, it was unclear if the debate would continue with Harris as the Democratic nominee.
During an interview with Fox News on July 29, Trump backpedaled on his enthusiasm to debate, citing that Harris wasn’t the official Democratic nominee yet.
“The answer is yes, but I can also make a case for not doing it,” he told Fox broadcaster Laura Ingraham.
“I want to do a debate. But I also can say this. Everybody knows who I am. And now people know who she is,” he added, then clarifying, “The answer is yes, I’ll probably end up debating.”
Following his remarks, Harris responded during a rally in Atlanta, Georgia.
She blasted Trump and his running mate JD Vance for “having a lot to say” about her but refusing to debate.
Harris then issued Trump a warning the next day, telling the camera, “Donald, I do hope you’ll reconsider – to meet me on the debate stage – because as the saying goes, ‘If you got something to say, say it to my face!'”
Harris has secured enough delegates to become the Democratic Party’s nominee, however, she’ll officially accept the nomination at the DNC starting on August 19.