Vice President Kamala Harris speaks to reporters upon arrival at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on July 25, 2024.
Brendan Smialowski | AFP | Getty Images
De facto Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris said Thursday she is “ready to debate” her Republican rival, former President Donald Trump.
“I think that voters deserve to see the split screen that exists in this race on a debate stage, and so I’m ready,” Harris told reporters on an airport tarmac outside Washington. “Let’s go.”
Harris, the vice president, said that she has agreed to face off with Trump on Sept. 10. ABC News had been scheduled to hold a debate on that date with Trump and President Joe Biden, who withdrew from the race on Sunday.
“Now it appears he’s backpedaling,” Harris said of Trump on Thursday afternoon. But I’m ready.”
Trump signaled in a press call earlier this week that he did not “like the idea” of participating in a debate hosted by ABC, which he called “fake news.”
But he said he “absolutely” would want to debate Harris if she becomes the Democratic nominee.
“I would be willing to do more than one debate, actually,” Trump said in the Tuesday afternoon call.