Donald Trump has refused to participate in another debate with Kamala Harris, just one day after sending mixed signals following their encounter in Philadelphia.
On Thursday, Trump wrote on social media in capital letters: “Kamala should focus on what she was supposed to do over the last almost four years. There will be no third debate!”
Trump claimed he won the debate that took place on Tuesday, although the Vice President was widely seen as having performed better that night. He said, "When a boxer loses, the first thing he says is, ‘I want a rematch.’"
When asked whether Trump was indeed rejecting the debate, his spokesperson responded via email: “I heard what he said!”
In contrast, Harris renewed her call for another debate between the candidates. Speaking on Thursday at a campaign event in Charlotte, North Carolina, she said: “I think we owe it to the voters to have another debate.”
Harris criticized Trump in North Carolina – her first campaign event since the debate – for saying during the debate that he had a “concept for a plan” to replace the Affordable Care Act. She said, “He’s going to end it based on a concept.”
Harris added that Trump failed to present a clear vision for the country. She said: “It was the same old show – that boring scenario we’ve heard for years with no plans on how to meet the needs of the American people.”
Trump has a long history of giving mixed answers about whether he will agree to debates, including before the campaigns agreed on the Philadelphia debate. On Wednesday, the former president said ABC news anchors had been unfair to him and that he was "less inclined" to debate the Vice President again, though he later seemed more open to the idea. Many of his allies expected he would debate again.
During the debate, Harris repeatedly tried to provoke Trump and make him lose focus by mocking the size of his crowds and the departure of people from his rallies. Trump had planned to emphasize that the Vice President had years to implement what she is now proposing, but he waited until his closing statement to make that point strongly.
The debate attracted over 67 million viewers, but it was not expected to have a significant impact on the race between the candidates, who are vying for support in about seven battleground states. Many voters have fixed opinions about Trump, and some undecided voters suggested after the debate that it did not push them to make a decisive choice for November.
Trump had a debate with President Biden in late June, which was a disastrous appearance for the current President, who then had to withdraw from the race and eventually endorsed Harris. If there are only two presidential debates in this election, it would be similar to the number in 2020. Other campaigns since 2000 typically included three presidential debates, along with one debate for the vice-presidential candidates.
This year, the vice-presidential candidates, Republican Senator JD Vance of Ohio and Democratic Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota, are scheduled to debate on October 1 in New York.