Trump says he’ll debate Harris on Fox News or not at all after weeks of back-and-forth over ABC News event

CNN —

Former President Donald Trump said Saturday he would not debate Vice President Kamala Harris at all if she did not agree to attend a new Fox News debate next month, the latest in the public jockeying between the campaigns over when, if ever, the two candidates will meet on stage.

“I’ll see her on September 4th or, I won’t see her at all,” the former president wrote Saturday on his Truth Social platform.

Trump doubled down on that pronouncement at his rally Saturday evening in Georgia, telling attendees, “We’re doing one with Fox, if she shows up.”

“I don’t think she’s going to show up,” he added, claiming the vice president “can read a teleprompter” but can’t speak off the cuff.

Trump’s declaration comes after the former president on Friday night backed out of a planned September 10 debate hosted by ABC News. Trump committed to that event in May, after he and President Joe Biden agreed to move up the debate calendar and exchanged barbs about being willing to debate each other any time, any place.

Harris referenced those boasts on social media Saturday.

“It’s interesting how ‘any time, any place’ becomes ‘one specific time, one specific safe space,’” she wrote. “I’ll be there on September 10th, like he agreed to. I hope to see him there.”

Vice President Kamala Harris walks to her motorcade at the White House in Washington, DC, on July 30, 2024.

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A source familiar with the matter told CNN that it was the source’s understanding that ABC News would provide airtime to whichever candidate showed up – even if that ended up being just Harris. ABC News did not respond to CNN’s request for comment.

Trump’s call for a debate