Kamala Harris Challenges Donald Trump to CNN Debate in October; Trump Says ‘It’s Just Too Late’

UPDATE: At a rally Saturday afternoon in Wilmington, N.C., former President Donald Trump argued “it’s just too late” to have a second presidential debate with Vice President Kamala Harris because early voting has begun in several states.

“I’d love to, in many ways, but it’s too late,” Trump told a crowd of supporters.

PREVIOUSLY: Vice President Kamala Harris has accepted an invitation from CNN to debate former President Donald Trump. The potential debate is slated for Oct. 23.

“Vice President Harris is ready for another opportunity to share a stage with Donald Trump,” campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon said in a statement (per CNN). “Donald Trump should have no problem agreeing to this debate.”

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Harris posted Saturday on X/Twitter that she “will gladly accept a second presidential debate” and hopes Trump “will join” her.

CNN “offered the campaigns a format similar to the June debate, in which Trump and Harris would field moderators’ questions for 90 minutes without a live studio audience,” according to the news network.

“Both Vice President Harris and former President Trump received an invitation to participate in a CNN debate this fall as we believe the American people would benefit from a second debate between the two candidates for President of the United States,” CNN said in a statement. “We look forward to receiving a response from both campaigns so the American public can hear more from these candidates as they make their final decision.”

The first presidential debate between Harris and Trump, hosted by ABC, occurred on Sept. 10 in Philadelphia, where the two candidates discussed topics like abortion and immigration. Trump also debated President Joe Biden in June on CNN, when Biden was still in the race.

Following the September debate, Trump declared in a lengthy post on Truth Social, “There will be no third debate!”