Trump Declines to Participate in Further Presidential Debates with Harris
Former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee, has announced that he will not participate in any additional presidential debates with Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee.
Trump made the announcement on his social media platform, Truth Social, asserting that he had won the debate hosted by ABC News in Philadelphia on Tuesday night. He accused Harris of avoiding debate invitations from Fox News, NBC News, and CBS News.
In response, Harris took to social media platform X, emphasizing the importance of having another debate for the benefit of voters. Her campaign also declared victory in the first debate, asserting that Harris effectively addressed key issues important to Americans.
A CNN poll of debate viewers indicated that 63 percent believed Harris delivered a stronger performance in Philadelphia, according to Xinhua news agency. Fox News reported that a panel of 12 voters favored Harris, while five supported Trump. Many observers noted that Trump struggled to effectively challenge his opponent during the debate.
The New York Times highlighted that following the debate, many Democratic strategists and officials praised Harris’ performance. In contrast, Republicans criticized the moderators’ questioning and acknowledged that Trump missed opportunities to deliver impactful counterarguments.