Trump Rejects Second Debate With Harris Ahead of US Presidential Election

Former US President Donald Trump on Saturday declined a second debate with Vice President Kamala Harris, hours after her campaign confirmed she had agreed to an October 23 showdown on CNN. Trump, sticking to his previous stance, stated that the debate would not take place before the November 5 election.

“Vice President Harris is ready for another opportunity to share a stage with Donald Trump, and she has accepted CNN’s invitation to a debate on October 23. Donald Trump should have no problem agreeing to this debate,” Jen O’Malley Dillon, the chair of the Harris campaign, said in a statement.

Trump, however, maintained that with voting already underway, another debate was unnecessary.

“The problem with another debate is that it’s just too late. Voting has already started,” he told supporters during a rally in Wilmington, North Carolina.

Harris and Trump previously faced off on September 10, in a debate where polls showed the Vice President emerged victorious. Trump had earlier debated President Joe Biden in June. Biden’s performance, described as shaky, raised concerns within the Democratic Party, eventually leading to his withdrawal from the race in July.

The presidential election is fast approaching, and with Biden out of the race, Harris faces the challenge of uniting Democrats and independents in a highly polarized political environment.