President Joe Biden said on Wednesday he is willing to debate Republican presidential rival Donald Trump twice before the Nov. 5 election — and Trump quickly agreed.
“Donald Trump lost two debates to me in 2020. Since then he hasn’t shown up for a debate,” Biden said in a video message posted on X. “Now he’s acting like he wants to debate me again. Make my day pal. I’ll even do it twice.”
The Democrat president took a swipe at Trump’s legal troubles in the video with an oblique reference to the court schedule in Trump’s criminal trial in New York.
“So let’s pick the dates Donald. I hear you’re free on Wednesdays,” Biden said.
Biden’s campaign proposed that the first be held in late June and the second in September before early voting begins.
Trump responded quickly on his Truth Social account:
Crooked Joe Biden is the WORST debater I have ever faced – He can’t put two sentences together! Crooked is also the WORST President in the history of the United States, by far. It’s time for a debate so that he can explain to the American People his highly destructive Open Border Policy, new and ridiculous EV Mandates, the allowance of Crushing Inflation, High Taxes, and his really WEAK Foreign Policy, which is allowing the World to “Catch on Fire.” I am Ready and Willing to Debate Crooked Joe at the two proposed times in June and September. I would strongly recommend more than two debates and, for excitement purposes, a very large venue, although Biden is supposedly afraid of crowds – That’s only because he doesn’t get them. Just tell me when, I’ll be there. “Let’s get ready to Rumble!!!”
Trump, who refused to debate his rivals in the Republican primary race, has in recent weeks been challenging Biden to engage in a one-on-one match-up with him, offering to debate the incumbent Democrat “anytime, anywhere, anyplace.”
Biden said he will not participate in debates sponsored by the nonpartisan commission that has organized them for more than three decades. Trump also has ushed back on the commission’s debate schedule.
