CNN
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After Vice President Kamala Harris accused former President Donald Trump of “backpedaling” on a debate, the Trump marketing campaign mentioned Thursday it might not decide to any future debates till the Democratic Celebration formally chooses a nominee.
President Joe Biden’s decision to step down from the Democratic ticket on Sunday threw earlier debate plans into doubt. Whereas the Biden and Trump campaigns had agreed to a debate hosted by ABC on September 10, it’s unclear if it’ll go on as deliberate.
“I’ve agreed to the beforehand agreed upon September tenth debate, he agreed to that beforehand,” Harris informed reporters after touchdown at Joint Base Andrews Thursday. “Now it seems he’s backpedaling. However I’m prepared. And I feel that the voters need to see the break up display screen that exists on this race on a debate stage and so, I’m prepared. Let’s go.”
Steven Cheung, Trump’s marketing campaign communications director, mentioned in a press release late Thursday that it “can be inappropriate to schedule issues with Harris as a result of Democrats very nicely may nonetheless change their minds,” since Harris is simply the get together’s presumptive nominee.
Harris rapidly hit again on social media. “What occurred to ‘any time, anyplace’?” she mentioned in a post on X.
Democratic delegates are expected to vote virtually to verify Harris because the get together’s nominee by August 7. Trump, for his half, formally clinched the Republican nomination final week on the Republican Nationwide Conference.
Trump informed reporters earlier this week he needs to debate Harris however has not but agreed to something.
“I haven’t agreed to something. I agreed to a debate with Joe Biden,” Trump mentioned on a press name. “However I wish to debate together with her, and he or she’ll be no completely different as a result of they’ve the identical insurance policies. I feel debating is vital for a presidential race, I actually do. You type of have an obligation to debate.”
Biden’s exit from the race got here weeks after a disastrous efficiency on the CNN debate final month. He endorsed Harris shortly after his announcement, and the vice chairman rapidly racked up enough delegate endorsements to win the Democratic presidential nomination. Whereas these endorsements aren’t binding, Harris remains to be the favourite to take Biden’s place.
Harris wouldn’t say on Thursday whether or not she was open to a different proposed debate hosted by Fox Information. Earlier than Biden withdrew from the race, Harris had positioned herself to go up towards Trump’s working mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, on the talk stage. In a short name earlier this month, each candidates mentioned they seemed ahead to debating each other however didn’t talk about specifics about when that will occur, CNN previously reported.
It’s now changing into clear these debate plans gained’t be made in any case, as Vance famous at a marketing campaign cease in his hometown of Middletown, Ohio, earlier this week.
“I used to be informed I used to be going to get to debate Kamala Harris, and now President Trump’s going to get to debate her?” Vance joked. “I’m form of pissed off about that if I’m being trustworthy with you.”
This story’s headline has been up to date.
CNN’s Kristen Holmes, Steve Contorno and Equipment Maher contributed to this report.