Harris proposes a second debate with Trump on October 23
The debate is set to be hosted by CNN in Atlanta, but Trump has expressed that it is "too late" to have another debate prior to the November election.
TroibNews 
Vice President Kamala Harris has agreed to a second debate with former President Donald Trump, scheduled for October 23, in a challenge to her Republican opponent just weeks ahead of the presidential election.
The debate, which will be hosted by CNN, is set to occur at the network’s studios in Atlanta, reminiscent of the June confrontation between Trump and President Joe Biden that significantly harmed Biden's campaign and ultimately led to his endorsement of Harris. This debate will follow similar rules to the June event, allowing candidates to answer questions for 90 minutes without a live audience.
“I will gladly accept a second presidential debate on October 23,” Harris stated on X, previously known as Twitter, in response to CNN’s invitation. “I hope @realDonaldTrump will join me.”
However, Trump's spokesperson Steven Cheung indicated that the former president is unlikely to accept the debate proposal, referring to prior comments Trump made on his social media platform, Truth Social. In a September 12 post, just two days after the initial debate between Harris and Trump, he proclaimed: “THERE WILL BE NO THIRD DEBATE!”
Trump has not yet directly responded to Harris’ challenge. Instead, he shared an edited clip on Truth Social featuring Harris saying "being a bitch" and laughing, a soundbite that has circulated in MAGA circles. This clip originates from a 2010 keynote speech she delivered at a Women in Leadership Conference at Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, where she asserted, “When we take on these positions of leadership, and as a woman, there is a balance to be struck between being tough and being a bitch.”
Since the September 10 debate, messages from the Trump camp about his willingness to participate in a second round have been mixed. Senior adviser Jason Miller and RNC co-chair Lara Trump indicated that the former president might be open to another debate with Harris. On September 11, Miller mentioned to CNN that the Trump campaign had already committed to a debate with NBC on September 25, although the status of that commitment remains unclear.
In contrast, the Harris campaign has been advocating for a second debate since the conclusion of the first. Following Trump’s announcement, Harris remarked that the candidates “owe it to voters to have another debate,” a sentiment echoed by her campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon in a statement on Saturday.
“The American people deserve another opportunity to see Vice President Kamala Harris and Donald Trump debate before they cast their ballots,” O’Malley Dillon wrote, stressing that providing only one presidential debate before polling opens would be “unprecedented in modern history.”
While negotiations for a second debate between Harris and Trump continue, vice presidential candidates Tim Walz and JD Vance are scheduled to debate for the first time on October 1.
Navid Kalantari contributed to this report for TROIB News
The debate, which will be hosted by CNN, is set to occur at the network’s studios in Atlanta, reminiscent of the June confrontation between Trump and President Joe Biden that significantly harmed Biden's campaign and ultimately led to his endorsement of Harris. This debate will follow similar rules to the June event, allowing candidates to answer questions for 90 minutes without a live audience.
“I will gladly accept a second presidential debate on October 23,” Harris stated on X, previously known as Twitter, in response to CNN’s invitation. “I hope @realDonaldTrump will join me.”
However, Trump's spokesperson Steven Cheung indicated that the former president is unlikely to accept the debate proposal, referring to prior comments Trump made on his social media platform, Truth Social. In a September 12 post, just two days after the initial debate between Harris and Trump, he proclaimed: “THERE WILL BE NO THIRD DEBATE!”
Trump has not yet directly responded to Harris’ challenge. Instead, he shared an edited clip on Truth Social featuring Harris saying "being a bitch" and laughing, a soundbite that has circulated in MAGA circles. This clip originates from a 2010 keynote speech she delivered at a Women in Leadership Conference at Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, where she asserted, “When we take on these positions of leadership, and as a woman, there is a balance to be struck between being tough and being a bitch.”
Since the September 10 debate, messages from the Trump camp about his willingness to participate in a second round have been mixed. Senior adviser Jason Miller and RNC co-chair Lara Trump indicated that the former president might be open to another debate with Harris. On September 11, Miller mentioned to CNN that the Trump campaign had already committed to a debate with NBC on September 25, although the status of that commitment remains unclear.
In contrast, the Harris campaign has been advocating for a second debate since the conclusion of the first. Following Trump’s announcement, Harris remarked that the candidates “owe it to voters to have another debate,” a sentiment echoed by her campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon in a statement on Saturday.
“The American people deserve another opportunity to see Vice President Kamala Harris and Donald Trump debate before they cast their ballots,” O’Malley Dillon wrote, stressing that providing only one presidential debate before polling opens would be “unprecedented in modern history.”
While negotiations for a second debate between Harris and Trump continue, vice presidential candidates Tim Walz and JD Vance are scheduled to debate for the first time on October 1.
Navid Kalantari contributed to this report for TROIB News
