Former president Donald Trump announced that he would reject Vice President Kamala Harris' request for a second presidential debate in a Truth Social post on Thursday afternoon.
Trump, who met with Harris on the debate stage for the first time in Philadelphia earlier in the week, wrote that "Polls clearly show that I won the Debate against Comrade Kamala Harris," and that the Democratic presidential nominee should "focus on what she should have done during the last four year period," as he confirmed he would not debate again during the 2024 election cycle.
Trump, who told journalists in the spin room immediately after the debate that he "wouldn't mind" doing another debate, used various media appearances throughout the coming days to distance himself from a rematch. The former president originally called for three debates with Harris ahead of their meeting on Tuesday, though no other meetings of the two candidates materialized due to disputes over rules.
Since the debate on Tuesday, multiple scientifically conducted polls have indicated Harris won the debate by a large margin, though Trump continues to maintain he won the contest, citing Harris' enthusiasm for a rematch as evidence.
Later Thursday, Harris responded to Trump's post by calling again for another debate during a rally in Charlotte, North Carolina.
"I believe we owe it to the voters to have another debate because this election and what is at stake could not be more important," Harris said.
– Bryan Hecht