Donald Trump confirmed Wednesday that he won’t debate Kamala Harris again after Fox News made a last-ditch attempt to set up another showdown in the final stretch of the 2024 presidential election.
The network said letters had been sent to both campaigns inviting the candidates for a debate on either Oct. 24 or 27 in Pennsylvania which would be moderated by Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum. In a trademark name-calling, all-caps Truth Social, Trump confirmed the Fox debate—or any other, for that matter—is just not going to happen.
“I WON THE LAST TWO DEBATES, ONE WITH CROOKED JOE, THE OTHER WITH LYIN’ KAMALA,” Trump wrote. “I ACCEPTED THE FOX-NEWS INVITATION TO DEBATE KAMALA ON SEPTEMBER 4TH, BUT SHE TURNED IT DOWN. JD VANCE EASILY WON HIS DEBATE WITH TAMPON TIM WALZ, WHO CALLED HIMSELF A KNUCKLEHEAD! I AM ALSO LEADING IN THE POLLS, WITH THE LEAD GETTING BIGGER BY THE DAY - AND LEADING IN ALL SWING STATES.”
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The Republican nominee also rehashed a line he’s trotted out since his debate against Harris last month on ABC, likening the Democrat’s willingness to another head-to-head to a prizefighter demanding a rematch after a defeat. Multiple polls showed viewers thought Harris, not Trump, won the debate.
Trump also had other excuses for swerving another debate, though.
“IT IS VERY LATE IN THE PROCESS, VOTING HAS ALREADY BEGUN - THERE WILL BE NO REMATCH!” he wrote in his post Wednesday. “BESIDES, KAMALA STATED CLEARLY, YESTERDAY, THAT SHE WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING DIFFERENT THAN JOE BIDEN, SO THERE IS NOTHING TO DEBATE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER!”
His comment appeared to refer to a remark Harris made Tuesday during an appearance on The View. Asked what she would have done differently than Biden over the last four years, Harris answered: “There is not a thing that comes to mind in terms of—and I’ve been a part of most of the decisions that have had impact.”
Later in the show she said “one of the differences” between her and Biden would be that she will “have a Republican in my Cabinet.”
The Harris campaign has agreed to another debate, on CNN, scheduled for Oct. 23. Trump has until noon Thursday to accept the offer, but Chris LaCivita—one of Trump’s campaign managers—on Wednesday said they haven’t and won’t change their stance on refusing another debate.
