Kamala Harris has moved past the “debate about debates” with Donald Trump, securing the former president’s agreement to a second debate, which she has now accepted.
The 59-year-old Vice President’s campaign revealed that, following the initial presidential debate scheduled for September 10, a second debate will take place in October. Additionally, the campaign announced that as of now, there will be only one vice-presidential debate between Democrat Tim Walz and Republican J.D. Vance.
Michael Tyler, Harris’s campaign communications director, stated, “Donald Trump’s campaign accepted our proposal for three debates—two presidential and one vice-presidential. Assuming Trump actually shows up on September 10 to debate Vice President Harris, Governor Walz will face J.D. Vance on October 1, and the American people will have another chance to see the vice president and Trump on the debate stage in October.”
The 78-year-old Trump had previously agreed to debates with Harris on September 4 for FOX and September 25 for NBC, in addition to an ABC showdown. At the time, he remarked, “The other side has to agree to the terms. They may or may not agree. I don’t know if they’re going to agree. [Harris] hasn’t done an interview… I look forward to the debates because I think we need to set the record straight.”
This comes after the Democratic presidential candidate urged Trump to reconsider his stance on debating, saying at a rally, “If you’ve got something to say, say it to my face.” With the debates now set, and despite not following the dates he initially proposed, Harris agreed to meet Trump again in about two months.
In the statement released by Tyler, he added, “Voters deserve to see the candidates for the highest office in the land share their competing visions for our future. The more they play games, the more Trump and Vance reveal their insecurity and lack of seriousness to the American people. Those games end now.”
Both parties will face off in November in the presidential election, aiming to take over the Oval Office once Joe Biden’s term concludes in January 2025.
