Trump Declines Second Debate with Kamala Harris, Citing Alleged Victory
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump announced Thursday that he would not participate in a second debate against Democratic rival, Vice President Kamala Harris. In a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump claimed that he had decisively won the first debate held on Tuesday night and saw no need for a rematch.
“When a prizefighter loses a fight, the first words out of his mouth are, ‘I WANT A REMATCH,’” Trump wrote. “Polls clearly show that I won the Debate against Comrade Kamala Harris, the Democrats’ Radical Left Candidate, on Tuesday night, and she immediately called for a Second Debate.”
However, multiple post-debate polls and analyses tell a different story. Numerous conservative commentators and even some of Trump’s own supporters suggested that Harris outperformed him during the debate. Several polls conducted after the debate showed a majority of viewers felt Harris had the upper hand, which added fuel to her campaign’s immediate call for a second debate.
Harris Pushes for Second Debate
Just hours after Trump’s post, Harris renewed her push for another debate during a rally in Charlotte, North Carolina. “Two nights ago, Donald Trump and I had our first debate,” she told the crowd. “And I believe we owe it to the voters to have another debate, because this election and what is at stake could not be more important.”
Harris emphasized that a second debate would allow voters to further compare the two candidates and their visions for the country. Her campaign, led by chair Jen O’Malley Dillon, quickly rallied behind the idea, calling for another debate in October. “Vice President Harris is ready for a second debate. Is Donald Trump?” Dillon said.
Post-Debate Fallout and Claims of Bias
Trump’s refusal to engage in a second debate follows his sharp criticism of the first debate’s moderators, David Muir and Linsey Davis of ABC News. Trump and his allies accused the moderators of bias, claiming they gave Harris more favorable treatment. These allegations are similar to criticisms Trump has made about the media throughout his political career, often targeting networks he claims are unfairly aligned against him.
In the wake of the debate, Trump’s campaign also expressed dissatisfaction with the debate rules, particularly with Harris’s team pushing for the candidates’ microphones to remain on even when it wasn’t their turn to speak. Despite this, both candidates adhered to the rules on debate night.
Trump’s Debate Record
Tuesday night’s debate marked Trump’s second debate of the 2024 election cycle. In June, he debated President Joe Biden, who performed poorly enough to spark significant speculation about his future in the race. Shortly after, Biden announced that he would not seek reelection, endorsing Harris as the Democratic candidate in his place.
Trump had previously proposed a series of debates with Harris, including one in early September hosted by Fox News and another potential match on NBC News later that month. However, Harris’s campaign did not agree to these debates, and Trump expressed reluctance to participate in the ABC debate, citing his ongoing defamation lawsuit against the network as a potential conflict of interest.
No Third Debate?
Despite his strong rhetoric about winning the first debate, Trump’s refusal to engage in a second round leaves questions about his strategy. In a follow-up Truth Social post, Trump wrote, “KAMALA SHOULD FOCUS ON WHAT SHE SHOULD HAVE DONE DURING THE LAST ALMOST FOUR YEAR PERIOD. THERE WILL BE NO THIRD DEBATE!”
The back-and-forth between the two campaigns over the debate schedule has become a point of contention. Harris’s team remains eager for another chance to debate Trump, while the former president appears resolute in his decision to bow out, at least for now.
As it stands, the vice-presidential nominees—Republican Senator JD Vance of Ohio and Democratic Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota—are still scheduled to meet for their sole debate on October 1. Whether Trump will reconsider his position remains uncertain, but with both sides engaging in heated exchanges, the debate drama is far from over.