PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Donald Trump said Thursday he had proposed three presidential debates with Vice President Kamala Harris on three television networks, saying he agreed on certain dates in September.
Watch Trump’s remarks in our player above.
The former president suggested there were agreements with Fox News, ABC News and NBC News as he held a news conference at his Florida beachside compound. It was his first public appearance since Harris became the Democratic presidential nominee and selected Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as as her running mate.
ABC says both Trump and Harris have agreed to a Sept. 10 presidential debate, setting up a face-off between the Republican and Democratic nominees.
Trump is rejoining the ABC debate days after posting on his social media network that he would not appear on the network, citing a lawsuit he has filed. His decision sets up a highly anticipated moment in an election where the first debate led to a massive change in the race — with Democratic President Joe Biden ending his reelection bid and endorsing Harris.
“I think it’s very important to have debates,” Trump said. “I look forward to the debates because I think we have to set the record straight.”
The Harris campaign had no immediate comment.
Trump had teased an announcement about the presidential debate earlier this week after pulling out of an ABC News debate scheduled for Sept. 10 after President Joe Biden ended his reelection campaign. Trump had said he would prefer that Fox News sponsor the debate, but on Wednesday was showing willingness to reconsider ABC.
“I will expose Kamala during the Debate the same way I exposed Crooked Joe, Hillary, and everyone else during Debates,” he said on his Truth Social network, referring to Democrats Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton. “Only I think Kamala will be easier.”
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Trump’s running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, has criticized Harris for not holding a news conference or sitting down for interviews since Biden stepped aside from his presidential reelection campaign and she launched her White House campaign. Harris sometimes answers shouted questions while boarding or leaving her plane for campaign stops.
Harris has a traveling press pool with her on Air Force Two for all trips. Trump does not have a set traveling press pool that regularly accompanies him on his plane when he goes out to campaign.
Vance has journalists flying with him, and he campaigned this week in states where Harris and Walz had their own events scheduled. That included on Wednesday, when Vance’s plane and Air Force Two ended up on the same tarmac in Wisconsin. Vance started walking toward the Democrats’ plane but did not reach it before a motorcade carrying Harris, Walz and the traveling press pulled away.
Associated Press writer Will Weissert in Washington contributed to this report.