WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — Former President Donald Trump is promising another presidential debate. On Wednesday, he told Fox News that the campaigns are still negotiating the details.
Team Trump and Team Harris are both signaling that they want to make a debate happen.
The first debate in June between President Biden and former president Trump upended the entire 2024 race. The president’s performance led to an explosion of doubts about his candidacy, eventually pushing him out of the race.
Now, former president Trump says he plans to face off against Vice President Kamala Harris. He told Fox News he expects an agreement soon.
“We’ll be debating her. I guess in the pretty near future, it’s going to be announced fairly soon, but we’ll be debating her,” Trump said. “I think debates are very important. And I think she’ll be exposed, just like Biden was exposed.”
Right now, the campaigns seem to be playing a game of chicken over the debate details.
The Trump team originally agreed to two debates with President Biden, the second on ABC News on September 10th. Now that President Biden is out, the Trump team says that agreement is off.
Though Harris is daring the former president to change his mind.
“He pulled out of the debate in September he had previously agreed to,” Harris said. “So, Donald, I do hope you’ll reconsider to meet me on the debate stage.”
Instead, the Trump team is pitching a Fox News debate on September 4th. Trump campaign spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt says the ball is in the Harris campaign’s court.
“President Trump has committed to a debate on the Fox News Channel in September. Kamala Harris has refused to acknowledge or accept that debate invitation. We hope that she will,” Leavitt said.
Meanwhile, VP candidates JD Vance and Tim Walz seem willing to take part in a debate of their own.
“I absolutely want to debate Tim Walz,” Vance said.
“I can’t wait to debate the guy. That is if he’s willing to get off the couch and show up,” Walz said.
But there isn’t an official vice-presidential debate scheduled yet either.