Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has agreed to face his Democratic rival Kamala Harris in a public debate moderated by Fox News. A previous debate between former President Trump and US President Joe Biden ended in a catastrophic debacle for the Democratic candidate, paving the way for his withdrawal from the White House race.
Trump agreed to a Fox proposal to host the event, writing on his Truth Social network on Friday that the debate will take place on September 4 in the battleground state of Pennsylvania, at a location yet to be determined.
“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,” the Republican wrote. Trump added that a previously scheduled second debate with Biden on ABC “has been terminated” due to the Democrat’s decision to withdraw, as well as his ongoing litigation against the network and its host George Stephanopoulos, which he claimed created “a conflict of interest.”
While Harris has yet to officially agree to the debate and its terms, she said last month that she was “ready” to face off with Trump. The Republican initially stated he was reluctant to debate Harris because she was not the party’s official nominee, but on Friday she officially secured the Democratic nomination two weeks after being endorsed by Biden.
The incumbent 81-year-old president ended his campaign on July 21 amid widespread concern about his age and fitness for office which were exacerbated by his stumbling debate performance against Trump and numerous gaffes. Several media reports suggested that his withdrawal was due to behind-the-scenes pressure from his own party, with numerous major Democratic donors turning their backs on him.
Meanwhile, an ABC/Ipsos poll in July found that Trump’s rating had risen to 40% following an unsuccessful attempt to assassinate him at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. A bullet fired by Thomas Matthew Crooks – who was subsequently killed by Trump’s security detail – missed the ex-president’s head by millimeters, grazing his ear.
