Trump says there will be no more debates after first Harris face-off

The former US president’s response comes despite the Harris campaign’s challenge for another debate after her strong showing.

This week’s presidential debate between former United States President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris was one of the most watched events of the election season: The broadcast attracted over 67 million viewers.

But on Thursday, Trump put the kibosh on the prospect of an encore, posting on the Truth Social platform: “THERE WILL BE NO THIRD DEBATE!”

Trump had previously faced off against President Joe Biden on June 27, but concerns surged over the 81-year-old’s age after the Democratic incumbent’s stumbling performance. Less than a month later, Biden dropped out of the race and was swiftly replaced by Harris.

A second debate had been planned for September 10, and despite the changing dynamics of the race, both Harris and Trump agreed to continue with the scheduled event, which took place in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

But after the debate, pundits largely gave the edge to Harris, comparing her more polished performance with Trump’s rambling one.