Trump rejects Harris’ challenge to debate again on CNN

WASHINGTON – Donald Trump on Sept 21 rejected another debate with Vice-President Kamala Harris before the US presidential election, hours after the Democratic candidate’s campaign said she had agreed to an Oct 23 match-up with her Republican rival on CNN.

“Vice-President Harris is ready for another opportunity to share a stage with Donald Trump, and she has accepted CNN’s invitation to a debate on Oct 23. Donald Trump should have no problem agreeing to this debate,” Ms Jen O’Malley Dillon, the chair of the Harris campaign, said in a statement.

However, Trump stuck to

his previous position that there would not be another debate

before voters go to the polls in the Nov 5 election.

“The problem with another debate is that it is just too late. Voting has already started,” the former US president told supporters at a rally in Wilmington, North Carolina.

Ms Harris and Trump

debated each other for the first time

on Sept 10, in a contest that polls showed she won.

Trump debated President Joe Biden in June.

Mr Biden’s shaky performance

in that debate rattled Democrats and prompted strategists to ask whether their party should take the unprecedented step of replacing the 81-year old President as their candidate.

Mr Biden

withdrew from the race

for the White House in July. REUTERS