Former President Trump in a new interview questioned why he should debate Vice President Harris amid pressure from her campaign to do so.
Trump told Fox Business Network host Maria Bartiromo that he wants to debate his likely Democratic opponent, but left the door open to opting out of it.
Trump noted it was Biden’s team who pushed for a June debate, after which Democrats urged the president to step aside as the candidate.
“If I didn’t do the debate, they’d say, ‘Oh Trump’s not doing the debate.’ It’s the same thing they’ll say now,” Trump said on “Mornings With Maria.”
“I mean right now I say, why should I do a debate?” he said. “I’m leading in the polls. And, everybody knows her, everybody knows me.”
The comments from Trump, which were recorded Thursday and broadcast Friday, are the latest instance of the former president hedging about a debate with Harris as she inches closer to securing the Democratic nomination.
He first told reporters last week that he would
“absolutely” debate the vice president, followed by his campaign
declining to commit to a debate until she is the official nominee. Trump then told Fox News he’d
“probably” debate her but could make the case not to.