Donald Trump has expressed uncertainty about participating in a scheduled debate with Kamala Harris next month, citing dissatisfaction with the network ABC, which is set to host the event. Trump questioned the fairness of the network and mentioned his ongoing legal disputes with ABC and its hosts.
Trump’s hesitation has led to tensions between the two campaigns over debate conditions, particularly regarding whether microphones should be turned off when it’s not a candidate’s turn to speak. The Harris campaign prefers that the microphones remain on, while the Trump campaign initially pushed for them to be turned off. Despite these issues, Trump has recently indicated a willingness to have the microphones on, although he stated that the debate format should remain consistent with previous agreements.
The disagreement over debate terms is occurring amidst Trump’s concerns about Harris’s rising momentum in polls and campaign fundraising since becoming the Democratic nominee. This adds to the strategic maneuvering from both campaigns as they approach the critical weeks leading up to the November election.