Reasons Why Trump Rules Out Rematch with Harris
The Main Reason Trump Rules Out Rematch with Harris, Citing Early Voting and Time Constraints
Donald Trump has officially ruled out a second U.S. presidential debate with Kamala Harris, citing the ongoing early voting process and tight time constraints. This decision comes after speculation about another potential debate showdown before the November 5 election.
Time Running Out for a Second Debate
Trump and Harris, currently engaged in a tight race for the White House, previously faced off in a September debate. Despite growing anticipation from multiple news outlets and political commentators for a rematch, Trump made it clear on October 9 via his Truth Social platform that there would be no further debates before election day. “It is very late in the process, [early] voting has already begun… There will be no rematch!” he posted, emphasizing the lack of time for another debate before voters head to the polls.
Fox News had reportedly offered to host a second debate, but Trump declined, citing the advancing election process. He further explained that Harris’ recent remarks, aligning herself with Joe Biden’s policies, made a second debate unnecessary. “Kamala stated clearly, yesterday, that she would not do anything different than Joe Biden, so there is nothing to debate,” Trump added, reinforcing his stance that a second debate would offer nothing new for voters.
Harris’ Attempts for a Debate
Kamala Harris had initially shown interest in a follow-up debate, challenging Trump to face her on CNN on October 23. However, Trump declined the offer. He also claimed that Harris had backed out of a previous debate offered by Fox, although her campaign had not publicly accepted the proposal.
The candidates had earlier agreed to debate on ABC News on September 10, which marked their only face-off during the election cycle. Both running mates, J.D. Vance for the Republicans and Tim Walz for the Democrats, also participated in debates of their own on October 1. However, despite suggestions for additional debates in September, only one meeting between Trump and Harris materialized.
Early Voting Leaves No Time for More Showdowns
As early voting continues across many states, Trump argued that a second debate would not significantly impact voters. “Voting has already begun,” he pointed out, reinforcing the belief that most voters have already made up their minds. Harris had hoped for another opportunity to debate Trump after receiving favorable reviews for her performance in their first encounter. Still, with time running out, both campaigns seem to have accepted that there will be no rematch.
Trump’s decision underscores the importance of early voting and highlights how tight the election timeline has become, leaving little room for last-minute changes or additional events.