In a move that seems to signal a deep-seated fear to face further embarrassment, former President Donald Trump has apparently decided against participating in a second debate with Vice President Kamala Harris. This decision follows what many perceived as a defeat during their initial face-off, broadcast by ABC News on Tuesday evening.
Trump took to Truth Social on Wednesday to dismiss the idea of another debate, using a boxing analogy to justify his stance. In his post, Trump likened the debate to a boxing match, stating, “In the World of Boxing or UFC, when a Fighter gets beaten or knocked out, they get up and scream, ‘I DEMAND A REMATCH, I DEMAND A REMATCH!'” He continued, “Well, it’s no different with a Debate. She was beaten badly last night. Every Poll has us WINNING, in one case, 92-8, so why would I do a Rematch?”
The former president had previously proposed two additional debates. Following the contentious debate, Harris’s team seemed receptive to the idea of a second encounter. However, Trump appears to be avoiding the risk of further exposure.
Trump’s post-debate behavior was marked by deflection and blame-shifting. He called into Fox & Friends early Wednesday morning, accusing ABC News of orchestrating a “rigged deal” that unfairly favored Harris for fact-checking his lies. Trump suggested that any future debates should be hosted by his preferred anchors, though he indicated he might not participate regardless, maintaining that he had already won the first debate.
In the aftermath of the debate, Trump also phoned into Fox & Friends to blame ABC News for allegedly creating a “rigged deal” that he believes unfairly favored Harris. He suggested that future debates might be better moderated by his preferred anchors, though he was non-committal about participating even then, claiming he had already “won” the first round.
Polling data and political commentary paint a different picture. A CNN poll conducted after the debate revealed that a significant majority of viewers—63%—believed Harris had won decisively, compared to 37% who sided with Trump. Before the debate, the same pool of voters was evenly split on their expectations.
Despite this, Trump maintained that he had performed exceptionally well, referencing web polls that purportedly showed him leading by large margins. He also criticized moderators David Muir and Linsey Davis, suggesting they were biased for fact-checking his lies.
Trump’s insistence on his own victory, despite widespread criticism and poll results to the contrary, underscores his ongoing struggle to reconcile his self-image with public perception. As he seeks to downplay the impact of the first debate, his decision to avoid another confrontation speaks volumes about his confidence and readiness to face challenges head-on.
