President Joe Biden dismissed former President Donald Trump’s request for immediate presidential debates with a laugh.
Biden was questioned about Trump’s recent remarks following a visit to No. 1 Boba Tea in Las Vegas, concluding a trip to California and Nevada.
The president sarcastically remarked that Trump should be interested in debating him, implying that Trump has a lot of free time on his hands.
Earlier on Monday, Trump made an appearance on the Dan Bongino Show where he expressed his desire for presidential debates to take place sooner rather than later.
“But I would like to request immediate debates. I am eager to engage in a debate with him right now because I believe it is important to have a robust discussion,” expressed the former president and potential candidate for 2024. Trump’s remarks coincide with his ongoing involvement in a Republican primary contest with opponent Nikki Haley.
Haley has consistently challenged Trump to engage in a debate, even going so far as to bring it up during a prominent appearance on Saturday Night Live over the weekend. Her campaign created a website, www.MakeTrumpDebate.com, where supporters can sign a petition.
The former president and leading candidate chose not to take part in any of the Republican debates, which began in August in Milwaukee.
Haley and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis took part in the most recent debate, held in January before the Iowa caucuses. However, the former U.N. ambassador chose not to engage in another face-off solely with DeSantis, leading to the cancellation of two scheduled debates in New Hampshire.
DeSantis withdrew from the presidential race just two days before the New Hampshire primary, showing his support for Trump as he exited, and leaving only Haley as a contender.
Trump Dares Biden to Debate
In a statement on Monday, Haley’s spokesperson, Olivia Perez-Cuba, expressed enthusiasm over Donald Trump’s recognition of the significance of debates.
“Now it’s time for Trump to step up and agree to debate Nikki Haley,” said Perez-Cuba.
Typically, general election debates are scheduled for the fall, following the nominating conventions of both parties held during the summer.
In November, the Commission on Presidential Debates revealed the dates and venues for the three upcoming general election debates. The first debate is set to take place on September 16 at Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas.
The second debate is scheduled for October 1 at Virginia State University in Petersburg, Virginia, while a third debate is anticipated to occur on October 9 at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah. However, those dates may not be set in stone.
That’s because individuals from the Republican National Committee decided to withdraw from the Commission on Presidential Debates, implying that they believed the group had a bias towards a particular political party.