- Joe Biden accepts Donald Trump’s debate challenge.
- Trump faces hush money criminal trial in New York.
- Biden campaign says there’re things to work out.
President Joe Biden Wednesday responded to Republican presumptive nominee Donald Trump’s call for a one-on-one debate as the election campaign heats up amid former commander-in-chief’s deepening legal troubles.
In a video message on X, formerly called Twitter, the 81-year-old Biden said: “Donald Trump lost two debates to me in 2020. Since then he hasn’t shown up for a debate.”
“Now he’s acting like he wants to debate me again. Make my day pal. I’ll even do it twice,” Joe Biden said, who is set to face off the criminally indicted former president.
“I’ve received and accepted an invitation from CNN for a debate on June 27th. Over to you, Donald. As you said: anywhere, any time, any place,” Biden said on X.
A Trump campaign also confirmed to the outlet that Trump had accepted the offer.
While taking a jibe at the legal troubles as Trump is currently facing a hush money trial in New York, the commander-in-chief of the US said: “So let’s pick the dates, Donald. I hear you’re free on Wednesdays.”
According to Reuters, Biden said he is ready for televised presidential debates in June and September and expressed a desire for direct talks on deciding network hosts and moderators for the one-on-one meetings.
Biden-Harris campaign spokesman Michael Tyler told MSNBC about topics and formats of the debate, saying that there were still some details to work out, including network moderators.
“The question now becomes, will Donald Trump keep his word? Will he step up to the plate here? We haven’t heard from him yet but we’ll be waiting all day,” Tyler stated.
The 77-year-old Trump had not shown up for debate in Republican primaries, and recently challenged Trump to debate “anytime, anywhere, anyplace.”
