Former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris are scheduled to face off in a highly anticipated debate on September 10, which will be broadcast on ABC. This announcement follows Trump’s confirmation on Thursday that he has agreed to participate in the debate, as well as two additional debates set for the following month.
In a statement, ABC News confirmed the event, saying, “ABC News will host qualifying presidential candidates to debate on September 10 on ABC. Vice President Harris and former President Trump have both confirmed they will attend the ABC debate.”
During a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, Trump expressed his eagerness for the upcoming debates. He mentioned that in addition to the September 10 debate with ABC, he has agreed to debates with Fox News on September 4 and NBC on September 25.
“I believe debates are crucial, and we’ve reached agreements with Fox News for September 4, NBC for September 25, and ABC for September 10,” Trump stated, noting that there were still “minor details” to finalize, such as audience arrangements and venue locations.
Both a senior Trump adviser and an ABC source confirmed the agreed-upon dates for the debates: September 4 with Fox News, September 10 with ABC, and September 25 with NBC.
Trump also commented on Vice President Harris’s previous reluctance to participate in interviews, claiming that she was “barely competent” and expressing his intent to “set the record straight” during the debates.
Vice President Harris, who had already committed to the ABC debate, reaffirmed her participation on Thursday, stating she was eager for the debate and hoped Trump would follow through. “I’m glad that he’s finally agreed to a debate on September 10th. I’m looking forward to it, and I hope he shows up,” Harris remarked while speaking to reporters before boarding Air Force Two in Detroit.
When asked about the possibility of additional debates, Harris indicated her openness to further discussions, saying, “I’m happy to have that conversation about an additional debate after September 10th.”
The ABC debate was initially agreed upon by Trump and former President Joe Biden, who has since exited the race. Earlier this week, Trump hinted that he would only debate Harris if she agreed to the proposed Fox News debate on September 4.
An ABC insider previously expressed confidence that their debate would be the first encounter between Trump and Harris, noting that the Harris campaign had signaled they would not participate in the Fox News debate.
Negotiations for the NBC debate on September 25 are ongoing, with the Harris campaign yet to give formal acceptance. Details such as location, debate rules, and moderators are expected to be finalized closer to the event dates.
