Former President Donald Trump has decisively ruled out any chance of a rematch debate with Vice President Kamala Harris, a move that some analysts interpret as a sign of vulnerability as the campaign intensifies. In a wild statement on Truth Social, Trump declared, “THERE WILL BE NO REMATCH!” seemingly shutting the door for good on the prospect as media outlets made final proposals.
Despite Trump’s claims of victory in their previous debate on September 10, polling data and critiques from within his own party indicate a different narrative. In a bid to assert his standing, Trump pointed to Sen. JD Vance’s recent debate performance, asserting he leads in all swing states, even as many polls show a tight race in critical battlegrounds ahead of the November election.
“I WON THE LAST TWO DEBATES, ONE WITH CROOKED JOE, THE OTHER WITH LYIN’ KAMALA,” Trump wrote, attempting to frame his decision as a strategic one. However, his avoidance of a second debate with Harris raises questions about his confidence in facing her again, especially given that Harris has already accepted invitations for further debates.
Trump’s comments included a reference to Harris’s recent statements, where she indicated continuity with President Biden’s policies, which he used to justify his stance: “THE FIRST THING A PRIZEFIGHTER DOES WHEN HE LOSES A FIGHT IS SAY THAT HE ‘DEMANDS A REMATCH.’” His rejection of the upcoming debates seems to reflect more anxiety than assertiveness.
“IT IS VERY LATE IN THE PROCESS, VOTING HAS ALREADY BEGUN – THERE WILL BE NO REMATCH!” Trump insisted.
This rejection follows CNN’s invitation for a debate on October 23, which Harris has accepted, while Trump’s refusal underscores a growing fear of facing her again. Fox News also issued an invitation on Wednesday for the candidates to attend a debate hosted by the network on either Oct. 24 or Oct. 27 moderated by Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum.
Harris and her campaign have been advocating for a second debate with Trump for weeks, emphasizing that voters deserve more opportunities to hear from both candidates ahead of Election Day. However, Trump has consistently rejected the idea of engaging in another debate with the vice president, raising questions about his willingness to confront her on key issues.
