"No Rematch".. Trump Refuses to Hold a Second Debate with Harris

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump definitively refused on Wednesday to participate in a second televised debate against his Democratic opponent, Kamala Harris.

The former president announced on his social media platform "Truth Social" that "there will be no rematch!" despite proposals from CNN and Fox News to organize a second televised debate between the candidates.

Trump added, "Kamala clearly stated that she would do nothing different from Joe Biden, so there is nothing to debate about." Trump had previously rejected Harris's proposal for a second debate in October, just days before the U.S. presidential election.

During a campaign rally in North Carolina on September 21, Trump said, "It's too late for a new debate, voting has already started," referring to early voting that began in three states, according to AFP. Speaking to around 600 people at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre in Atlanta, Georgia, last month, Harris said, "I am seeking another debate. We will see."

Subsequently, Harris's campaign announced that the Democratic presidential candidate had accepted an invitation from CNN to participate in a debate on October 23. Campaign manager Jen O'Malley Dillon stated at the time, "There should be no problem for Donald Trump to agree to this debate. It is in the same format and system as the CNN debate he attended and claimed to have won in June (which was with President Joe Biden before he withdrew from the presidential race), when he praised the debate moderators, network rules, and ratings."

For decades, the tradition in the United States has been to organize two televised debates between the main party candidates for the presidential election, but this time voters will have to settle for the single debate that took place between Trump and Harris.

CNN had given both candidates until Thursday to agree to participate in a second debate proposed for October 23 in Atlanta, Georgia. In contrast, Fox News proposed holding a second debate in Pennsylvania on October 24 or 27.