Trump declined Fox News' invitation to debate Harris in late October
Donald Trump and Kamala Harris (RBC-Ukraine collage)
US presidential candidate Donald Trump declined a second debate with his opponent, Kamala Harris, which had been proposed for the end of October, according to Reuters.
The refusal came just hours after Fox News invited both presidential candidates to participate in a potential second debate on October 24 or 27. The network emphasized that a second debate "would present an opportunity for each candidate to make their closing arguments."
"THERE WILL BE NO REMATCH, SO THERE IS NOTHING TO DEBATE," Trump wrote in all caps on his Truth Social platform.
The first and possibly only debate between Harris and Trump took place on September 10 on ABC News. During that event, the Democratic Party candidate forced Trump into a defensive position, launching a series of attacks concerning his fitness for office, his support for abortion restrictions, and his numerous legal challenges.
Additionally, according to post-debate polling, Trump lost the first debate. Behind the scenes, those close to the former president shared similar views. Some of Trump's allies privately remarked that at best, the Republican candidate performed to a draw, while at worst, he lost.
This stands in contrast to Trump's debate with US President Joe Biden in late June, where Trump emerged as the clear winner. Biden's poor performance led to his withdrawal from the presidential race, and Vice President Kamala Harris took his place as the Democratic candidate.
US election
The US presidential election is set to take place next month on November 5. The main contenders for the presidency are Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.
For more on the current presidential race standings, check out RBC-Ukraine’s full report.
