President Joe Biden threw down the gauntlet on Wednesday, directly challenging former President Donald Trump – his expected 2024 rival — to not one, but two debates. The president also took a jab at Trump’s scheduling conflicts given his ongoing criminal hush money trial in New York, which does not convene on Wednesdays.
“Donald Trump lost two debates to me in 2020. Since then, he hasn’t shown up for a debate, now he’s acting like he wants to debate me again,” Biden said in a video released on social media. “Well make my day pal, I’ll even do it twice. So let’s pick the dates, Donald. I hear you’re free on Wednesdays.”
Trumpwas quick to accept the challenge, writing on Truth Social that “Crooked Joe Biden is the WORST debater I have ever faced — He can’t put two sentences together!”
“I am Ready and Willing to Debate Crooked Joe at the two proposed times in June and September,” he added. “I would strongly recommend more than two debates and, for excitement purposes, a very large venue, although Biden is supposedly afraid of crowds — That’s only because he doesn’t get them. Just tell me when, I’ll be there. ‘Let’s get ready to Rumble!!!’”
Biden’s challenge presents a much more optimistic stance regarding prospective debates between the de facto major party nominees than in past months. After weeks of hesitation, Biden told Howard Stern in April that he would be “happy” to debate Trump at some point in the election cycle.
Trump responded to Biden’s interview by proclaiming that he would be happy to debate “ANYWHERE, ANYTIME, ANYPLACE,” and complaining that while he was “stuck in one of the many Court cases that he instigated as ELECTION INTERFERENCE AGAINST A POLITICAL OPPONENT” he would be happy to hold a debate in Manhattan Criminal Court if that’s what it takes to make it happen.
Trump has bailed out of plenty of public promises in the past — including to testify in court proceedings — so we’ll see if he actually follows through with his pledge to debate Biden. It seems for now, at least, that the debates are on.