Donald Trump has accused ABC, which is to host his debate with Kamala Harris, of bias and suggested that he may withdraw from it because of it. It is “the worst network in terms of dishonesty” and “should be shut down,” the Republican candidate added.
Former President Donald Trump has suggested he may pull out of his debate with Vice President Kamala Harris on ABC, as the Republican nominee accuses the network of bias and both campaigns argue over whether the candidates' microphones should be turned off.
Trump criticized ABC, which is scheduled to host the debate on September 10, after visiting Arlington National Cemetery to mark the third anniversary of the Kabul airport attack.
See also: Donald Trump: There Will Be No Debate With Kamala Harris On Fox News
“This is the worst network in terms of dishonesty,” Trump said, adding that ABC “should be shut down.” A day earlier, he had attacked the network in a similar tone on his social media site Truth Social, asking, “Why would I debate Kamala Harris on this network?”
Harris: Trump is not a serious man, but the consequences of his return to the White House are extremely seriousReuters
Dispute over the rules of debate
Politico and other outlets have reported that the two campaigns are at odds over the rules for the Philadelphia showdown, including whether the hosts will be able to turn off the candidates’ microphones, as was done during the Trump-Biden debate on CNN on June 27.
Kamala Harris' campaign wants to keep microphones on at all times, while Trump's staff prefers to keep their microphones muted.
“We understand that Trump's handlers prefer muted microphones because they don't think he can act 'presidential' on his own for 90 minutes,” Harris' campaign said in a statement.
He also suggested that the Republican candidate himself did not know about his campaign's demands because his staff were ashamed to tell him that they doubted he would be able to behave appropriately.
Republican Campaign in Shadow of Democratic ConventionJakub Loska/Facts about the World TVN24 BiS
Trump himself, when asked about this on Monday, said that he would prefer the microphones to remain on at all times, but added that both campaigns had already agreed on two debates on the same terms.
The ABC debate in Philadelphia on September 10 is the only televised battle between the candidates scheduled so far. Kamala Harris became the Democratic presidential candidate, Trump has suggested several times that he might withdraw from the ABC debate, suggesting duels on Fox News and CNN. He also praised CNN, the organizer of the first debate — which led to President Biden's withdrawal. The network has been criticized for failing to respond to false statements and misrepresentations by the candidates.
Main image source: PAP/EPA/ALLISON DINNER