Watch: Trump Campaign Desperate to Avoid Kamala Debate Questions
Donald Trump’s campaign really does not want to talk about the presidential debate he backed out of, originally scheduled for September 10.
On Tuesday morning, Trump’s press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, was interviewed on Newsmax, telling hosts Shaun Kraisman and Emma Rechenberg that Trump “will never back down from the hostile fake news media. He’s not afraid.”
“But why won’t former President Trump debate on ABC News, the one he committed to with Biden. Harris said she’d show up to that one. Do you have an answer for that? Does he have an answer for that?” Kraisman asked.
Leavitt initially hesitated.
“Yes, we do. Well, first of all, that debate was committed between President Trump and Joe Biden. The race has changed,” Leavitt said. The Kamala Harris campaign pounced, posting the interview on X (formerly Twitter).
Trump press secretary: Trump will never back down from the hostile media!
— Kamala HQ (@KamalaHQ) August 6, 2024
Newsmax host: Then why won’t he debate on ABC, the debate he committed to?
Trump press secretary: W-well... The race has changed... pic.twitter.com/ycGRoG73aa
Later on Tuesday, Trump campaign adviser Danielle Alvarez claimed on Fox News that the former president and convicted felon was ready to debate, noting that he “accepted” a debate that would be hosted by Fox.
“Kamala Harris is running scared, and I don’t blame her because President Trump delivered a knockout punch to Joe Biden in that first CNN debate. They formed a coup and forced him out. President Trump is absolutely prepared to debate,” Alvarez told Fox’s Bret Baier. “He takes tough interviews all the time, and it’s in stark contrast to Kamala Harris, who has not taken an interview in the 17 days since she ascended.”
“Well, he obviously stepped back from the ABC debate offer on September 10th,” Baier pointed out. “But you’re saying that there’s a belief that Kamala Harris will accept a debate?”
“She absolutely should accept a debate,” Alvarez replied. “She needs to explain to the American people the failures that are occurring, especially in the last 24 hours.”
It’s funny to say that Harris is scared, when Trump refuses to take part in a debate with ABC News moderators who won’t be on his side, unlike at Fox News. Trump has made multiple excuses for backing out of the previously agreed upon debates, from made-up polls to blaming former President Barack Obama. In reality, the truth is that he’s probably the one who is running scared.