Trump: ‘Why Should I Do A Debate’ Against Kamala Harris?

Former President Donald Trump sure seems like he doesn’t want to face Vice President Kamala Harris in a presidential debate.

“I mean right now I say, why should I do a debate?” Trump told Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo during a Thursday interview. “I’m leading in the polls. And, everybody knows her, everybody knows me.”

It’s at least the second time Trump has indicated that he’s not exactly eager to debate Harris, who on Friday secured enough delegates to lock up the Democratic presidential nomination. Last month, Trump said he would “probably” debate Harris, but added that “everybody knows who I am.”

At an Atlanta campaign rally Tuesday, Harris said the momentum in the election “was shifting,” and took a jab at Trump over his apparent cold feet.

“Donald, I do hope you’ll reconsider to meet me on the debate stage,” Harris said. “Because as the saying goes: If you’ve got something to say, say it to my face.”

In a statement on Friday, the Harris campaign again attacked Trump for trying to skip a debate.

“Trump, who once said he would debate ‘any time, any place’ is backing down from his commitment to debate,” the campaign said in a statement.

The statement also mentioned Trump’s disastrous Q&A at this week’s National Association of Black Journalists Convention in Chicago, where he questioned Harris’ racial identity.

“I didn’t know she was Black until a number of years ago when she happened to turn Black,” Trump said during the Q&A. “And now she wants to be known as Black. So, I don’t know, is she Indian or is she Black?”

In fact, Harris is both Black and Indian American.

The Harris campaign said that following Trump’s appearance at the NABJ event, it’s no wonder he would want to back out of a debate.

“Given another opportunity to back up his words with action, Trump apparently couldn’t muster the courage to face tough questions ― or his opponent ― on the debate stage,” the campaign’s statement said.