ABC News is moving forward with plans for a presidential debate, despite former President Donald Trump indicating he will not participate until the Democratic Party officially selects its nominee.
An ABC source affirmed that preparations for the debate, which will be hosted by anchors David Muir and Linsey Davis, are proceeding without delay. However, there are concerns that plans might be disrupted, reflecting the ongoing changes and uncertainties this year.
Trump, who is the Republican nominee, stated that he has not committed to the debate but is willing to debate Kamala Harris, the presumptive Democratic nominee, once she is formally chosen. He stressed the importance of debating but noted that Harris's policies are similar to those of Joe Biden.
Harris responded by accusing Trump of "backpedaling" and questioning his previous assurances about being flexible on debate timing.
With President Joe Biden having exited the race, the traditional Commission on Presidential Debates has been bypassed, with campaigns opting for debates organized directly by TV networks. Discussions are ongoing between NBC and the campaigns, but the specifics of future debates are still unclear.
Both Trump and Biden's campaigns had agreed to a CNN debate on June 27 and an ABC debate on September 10. Harris had also agreed to a vice-presidential debate hosted by CBS, though the date was pending before Biden's withdrawal.
In light of Biden’s exit and endorsement of Harris, Trump suggested shifting the ABC debate to Fox News, which has also offered to host debates. The Trump campaign has not yet responded publicly to Fox’s offer.
Details about the ABC debate’s location, rules, and format are yet to be announced. An ABC spokesperson did not comment on these aspects. Jason Miller, a senior advisor to the Trump campaign, expressed uncertainty about the debate being held at ABC, emphasizing the need for diverse debate platforms to ensure a thorough public discussion.