U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris on Saturday accepted an invitation from CNN to debate former U.S. president Donald Trump on Oct. 23, challenging her rival to another engagement on a public stage in the final weeks of the campaign.
鈥淰ice-President Harris is ready for another opportunity to share a stage with Donald Trump,鈥� campaign chair Jen O鈥橫alley Dillon said in a statement. 鈥淒onald Trump should have no problem agreeing to this debate.鈥�
Harris tweeted Saturday that she 鈥渨ill gladly accept a second U.S. presidential debate鈥� and that she hopes Trump 鈥渨ill join鈥� her on Oct. 23.
The debate would mirror the first 2024 presidential debate in June between Trump and U.S. President Joe Biden, taking place at CNN鈥檚 studios in Atlanta, according to the network.
Trump suggested last week that he might be open to participating in a third presidential debate following his Sept. 10 face-off with Harris hosted by ABC in Philadelphia.
鈥淢aybe if I got in the right mood,鈥� he told reporters during a stop in California, on Truth Social, 鈥淭HERE WILL BE NO THIRD DEBATE!鈥�
Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung referred CNN to that Truth Social post when asked Saturday whether the former president would accept the debate invitation.
Harris鈥� campaign last week dismissed Trump鈥檚 announcement that there would not be another debate, with one senior adviser saying the former president 鈥渃hanges his position every day.鈥� The vice-president, meanwhile, immediately called for another debate, saying, 鈥淚 believe we owe it to the voters.鈥�
For October, CNN offered the campaigns a format similar to the June debate, in which Trump and Harris would field moderators鈥� questions for 90 minutes without a live studio audience.
鈥淏oth Vice-President Harris and former president Trump received an invitation to participate in a CNN debate this fall as we believe the American people would benefit from a second debate between the two candidates for President of the United States,鈥� the network said in a statement. 鈥淲e look forward to receiving a response from both campaigns so the American public can hear more from these candidates as they make their final decision.鈥�
CNN鈥檚 debate between Trump and Biden on June 27 proved a consequential showdown that upended the course of the campaign. After a dismal performance at that Atlanta debate, Biden eventually bowed out of the race and endorsed Harris as the Democratic nominee.
This story has been updated with additional developments.
