Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are set to face off for the first time in a televised debate on September 10, as confirmed by ABC News.
This highly anticipated debate is expected to attract a massive audience and could be pivotal for both candidates in what polls indicate is an exceptionally tight race.
“I am looking forward to debating Donald Trump on September 10. I hear he’s finally committed to it and I’m eager for the opportunity,” the Vice President told reporters in Michigan on Thursday.
Former President Trump had initially agreed to debate Joe Biden on ABC News. However, after Biden stepped down from his re-election campaign, Trump suggested he might withdraw. In a press conference on Thursday, Trump reversed his stance, stating he was willing to debate Harris three times in September—on ABC, Fox News, and NBC.
ABC News has confirmed that it will host the debate on September 10, with both Vice President Harris and former President Trump slated to attend.
Harris has not yet committed to additional debates on NBC or Fox but indicated she is open to discussions about further debates after September 10.
The first presidential debate between Trump and Biden in June attracted over 51 million viewers. Biden’s underwhelming performance at that debate marked a turning point in his campaign. Over the following month, Trump survived an assassination attempt, Biden stepped down, and Harris emerged as the Democratic candidate, quickly gaining momentum.
While Biden had lagged behind Trump in key swing states, Harris has made significant gains, and in some polls, she now leads Trump. An Ipsos poll released Thursday shows Harris ahead of Trump 42% to 37%, compared to a Reuters/Ipsos survey from late July, which had Harris leading 37% to 34%.
Harris’s rapid rise has left the Trump campaign scrambling to formulate an effective strategy against her. During his Thursday press conference—the first since Harris announced Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate—Trump mispronounced Harris’s name, questioned her racial identity, and made numerous false claims about the economy, the Biden administration’s record, and his own achievements.