Trump Mulls Over Debating Harris as 2024 Election Race Intensifies

Donald Trump, former US President and Republican presidential candidate, stated on Friday that he has not yet decided whether to participate in a debate with Vice President Kamala Harris, his potential Democratic rival. "Well, I want to. And we’re leading in the polls it seems by quite a bit still...She’s Harris better than he Joe Biden is, but I think ultimately she’ll be worse than him," Trump told Fox News in an interview.

"If I didn’t do the debate, they’d say, ‘Oh Trump’s not doing the debate.’ It’s the same thing they’ll say now. I mean right now I say, why should I do a debate? I’m leading in the polls. And everybody knows her, everybody knows me," said the former president.

Trump's Debate Hesitation

The Harris Campaign criticised Trump for not agreeing to a debate so far. They accused him of dodging and making excuses for why he’s too scared to face Kamala Harris on the debate stage. The campaign alleged that Trump, who once claimed he would debate "any time, any place", is now backing down from his commitment.

The last time Trump faced tough questions at NABJ, he imploded in a "train wreck" of an interview that went "off the rails" seconds after it began and had to be abruptly cut off by his team, it said. Given another opportunity to back up his words with action, Trump apparently couldn’t muster the courage to face tough questions -- or his opponent -- on the debate stage, the Harris Campaign alleged.

Harris Campaign's Response

"Donald Trump needs to man up. He’s got no problem spreading lies and hateful garbage at his rallies or in interviews with right-wing commentators. But he’s apparently too scared to do it standing across the stage from the Vice President of the United States," said Harris for President co-chair Cedric Richmond.

"Since he talks the talk, he should walk the walk and – as Vice President Harris said earlier this week – say it to her face on September 10. She’ll be there waiting to see if he’ll show up," Richmond added.

The Harris Campaign has alleged that Trump is avoiding facing Kamala Harris due to his past experiences with challenging interviews. They pointed out that during a previous interview at NABJ, Trump struggled significantly and had to have the interview cut short by his team.

Trump's hesitation has been met with strong criticism from his opponents. They argue that despite his bold claims and rhetoric during rallies and interviews with sympathetic media outlets, he is reluctant to engage directly with Vice President Harris on a debate stage.

As both campaigns prepare for potential debates, Trump's decision remains uncertain. His reluctance has sparked discussions about his willingness to confront tough questions and face his opponent directly.

The upcoming date of September 10 will be crucial as it will reveal whether Trump decides to participate in the debate or continues to avoid it. The political landscape remains tense as both sides await his decision.