Former President Trump threatens to withdraw from the upcoming ABC debate, accusing Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign of seeking rule changes that favor her. The dispute centers around whether microphones should be muted when candidates are not speaking, a condition previously agreed upon by Biden's team.
Amidst a heated exchange over debate rules, former President Donald Trump has hinted at the possibility of withdrawing from the upcoming ABC debate featuring his opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris. The dispute stems from a disagreement between the Trump and Harris campaigns regarding microphone usage during the event.
Previously, both candidates had agreed to a September 10 debate on ABC News, adhering to rules negotiated with Biden's team, including microphone muting. However, after Trump suggested additional debates once Biden stepped aside for Harris, the Harris campaign insisted on maintaining the original format.
Trump Contemplates Debating Harris Amidst Dispute Over Microphone Protocol
Trump's team has since accused the Harris campaign of playing "games" by seeking to keep microphones live throughout the debate, a significant departure from the rules Biden's team had negotiated. In a social media post, Trump expressed his willingness to skip the debate, prompting a response from his spokesman, Jason Miller.
Miller accused the Harris campaign of attempting to alter the pre-established debate rules, stating that the Trump campaign had accepted the ABC debate under the same terms as the CNN debate. He criticized the Harris team for requesting changes to the agreed-upon rules, implying that their motives were to avoid a direct confrontation with Trump.
Trump Contemplates Debating Harris Amidst Dispute Over Microphone Protocol
Trump himself seemed less concerned about the microphone issue, acknowledging that he would prefer an active microphone but ultimately deferring to the initially agreed-upon rules. However, Democratic strategist Leslie Marshall suggested that muting microphones could benefit Trump by making him appear more "civilized" and less aggressive.
Conservative radio host Jason Rantz characterized Harris' team's attempts to alter the rules as a "desperate stunt," alleging that it was an effort to distract from her weak record and reluctance to engage in press conferences. He further suggested that Harris wanted an active microphone to create potential "gotcha moments" against Trump.
Trump Contemplates Debating Harris Amidst Dispute Over Microphone Protocol
Conversely, Harris campaign senior advisor Brian Fallon argued that ABC and other networks should encourage both Trump and Harris to keep their microphones live throughout the debate. He claimed that Trump's handlers preferred muted microphones because they doubted their candidate's ability to maintain composure and presidential demeanor for an extended period.
Opponents of the Harris campaign's stance pointed out that it was Biden and Harris' campaign staffers who had initially insisted on microphone muting. Article III Project senior counsel Will Chamberlain confronted Fallon with this fact, highlighting the inconsistency in their position.
Trump Contemplates Debating Harris Amidst Dispute Over Microphone Protocol
Harris campaign communications director Michael Tyler expressed a preference for live microphones, stating that it would allow the American public to witness the candidates' true selves. Some critics speculated that the Harris campaign was seeking to engineer a viral moment in which she could effectively shut down a Trump interruption, similar to her encounter with Mike Pence in the 2020 vice presidential debate.
Amidst the debate controversy, Trump has also expressed ongoing issues with ABC News, having recently filed a defamation lawsuit against anchor George Stephanopoulos. He has also criticized the Disney-owned network for its interview with Senator Tom Cotton. ABC News has not yet responded to a request for comment.
