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Jimmy William
Former President Donald Trump suggested Monday that he might back out of the scheduled ABC News debate with Vice President Kamala Harris on September 10, claiming that the network is hostile toward Republicans. Speaking at a Vietnamese restaurant in Falls Church, Virginia, Trump expressed displeasure with the treatment of Senator Tom Cotton during an appearance on ABC’s “This Week.”
“When I looked at the hostility of that, I said, ‘Why am I doing it? Let’s do it with another network,’” Trump told reporters, indicating that he is reconsidering his participation. Trump also accused ABC of attempting to change the debate rules, claiming that the Harris campaign is pushing for modifications because “she can’t answer questions.”
The central point of contention appears to be whether the candidates’ microphones will remain live throughout the debate. Harris’ campaign has requested that the microphones stay on to capture all comments, regardless of whose turn it is to speak, arguing that the American public should hear everything the candidates say. Trump, on the other hand, seemed indifferent to the issue but reiterated his preference for the original debate rules.
Negotiations over the debate rules have reached an impasse, with the Trump and Harris campaigns clashing over microphone policies and seating arrangements. Trump’s campaign spokesman Jason Miller accused the Harris team of wanting to change the agreed-upon rules and of seeking a seated debate with notes, which the Harris campaign denies.
The September 10 debate was originally scheduled before President Joe Biden dropped out of the race and Kamala Harris launched her campaign. Trump had initially expressed reluctance to participate in the ABC debate, proposing Fox News as an alternative, but eventually agreed to face Harris in three debates in September. So far, only the ABC debate has been confirmed.
As the debate date approaches, the uncertainty surrounding Trump’s participation adds another layer of drama to an already contentious election season. Whether Trump will ultimately take the stage with Harris remains to be seen, but the negotiations underscore the deep divisions and strategic maneuvering that have characterized this campaign cycle.
