Trump Commits to Sept. 10 Showdown with Harris, Teases Two More Debates

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has reversed his previous stance and agreed to debate Democratic nominee Kamala Harris on September 10. This debate will be hosted by ABC News.

During a press conference at his Mar-A-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, Trump disclosed additional debate dates. He confirmed his participation in debates scheduled for September 4 and September 25. Fox News will host the first debate, while NBC is set to moderate the debate on September 25.

Initially, Trump misstated the hosting details, suggesting NBC would oversee the September 10 debate. His campaign later clarified that the ABC News debate would indeed occur on September 10, a date previously agreed upon by Trump and Joe Biden before Biden exited the race. NBC will handle the final debate.

ABC News has corroborated that both Trump and Harris have committed to the September 10 event. “I think it’s very important to have debates,” Trump remarked before swiftly moving to criticize Harris.

The Harris campaign, as well as representatives from Fox News and NBC, did not respond to requests for comment from States Newsroom.

In a statement, the Harris campaign described Trump’s press conference as a “public meltdown” but did not confirm her participation in the Fox News or NBC debates.

Earlier this year, Joe Biden was the presumptive Democratic nominee. However, he withdrew following a poor showing at the first general election debate on June 27. Kamala Harris then secured the nomination and initiated a campaign tour with her chosen running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.

In response to a question about a peaceful transfer of power if he were to lose the election, Trump asserted, “Of course, there’ll be a peaceful transfer and there was last time and there’ll be a peaceful transfer. I just hope we’re going to have honest elections.”

The transition from Trump’s administration to Biden’s in 2021 was marked by unprecedented violence and chaos. On January 6, 2021, a pro-Trump mob stormed the U.S. Capitol, disrupting Congress’s certification of the 2020 election results. As a result, Trump was impeached for the second time due to his incitement of the insurrection.

Despite acknowledging the importance of peaceful transitions, Trump noted that numerous individuals charged in connection with the January 6 riot were treated unfairly. He controversially claimed that “nobody was killed on January 6,” contradicting factual accounts.

Two U.S. Capitol police officers, Jeffrey Smith and Howard Liebengood, died by suicide following the events of January 6, with their deaths ruled as occurring in the line of duty. Additionally, Ashli Babbitt, a rioter, was fatally shot by Capitol police while trying to breach the Speaker’s Lobby near the House floor.