The odds of another presidential debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris continue to shrink ahead of the 2024 presidential election.
What Happened: Despite strong interest from voters and high viewership for two earlier debates, Trump has consistently turned down proposals from media companies seeking to arrange additional debates.
Fox News, which is owned by Fox Corporation (NASDAQ:FOX)(NASDAQ:FOXA) and CNN, which is owned by Warner Bros. Discovery (NASDAQ:WBD), both pitched Harris and Trump on another presidential debate.
As he has in recent weeks, Trump shot down the requests.
"THERE WILL BE NO REMATCH!" Trump posted on his Truth Social account.
The former president said in the post he won the last two debates, despite most polls showing Harris as the winner of a Sept. 10 debate hosted by ABC.
"I am also leading in the polls, with the lead getting bigger by the day – and leading in all swing states," Trump added, also in all caps.
Using an analogy he has used before, Trump said that prizefighters demand rematches after they lose a fight, suggesting this is why Harris is ready to debate him again.
Did You Know?
- Congress Is Making Huge Investments. Get Tips On What They Bought And Sold Ahead Of The 2024 Election With Our Easy-to-Use Tool
Why It's Important: While another presidential debate is unlikely, Harris has ramped up her appearances in a media blitz that included podcasts, live television and more.
The vice president also agreed to participate in a town hall with CNN on Oct. 23, as reported by Politico. The cable news network has also extended an invitation to Trump for a town hall.
"Trump may want to hide from the voters, but Vice President Harris welcomes the opportunity to share her vision for a New Way Forward for the country. She is happy to accept CNN's invitation for a live, televised town hall on October 23 in Pennsylvania," Harris campaign chair Jen O'Malley Dillon said in a statement.
O'Malley Dillon said Trump's refusal to do another debate "is a disservice to the American people."
The presidential debate between Harris and Trump, hosted by ABC, was watched by 67.1 million people. An earlier June debate between Trump and President Joe Biden was watched by 51.3 million people. While these figures are down from some record-setting debates in the 2016 and 2020 elections, the high viewership means strong advertising revenue opportunities for media networks.
While Fox has not hosted a presidential debate in this election cycle, the media company saw strong viewership: 9.1 million on Fox News, 4.9 million on Fox for the debate between Trump and Harris, 8.82 million viewers on Fox News, and 3.48 million viewers on Fox for the June debate between Trump and Biden.
- Harris Drinks A Miller High Life On 'The Late Show,' Labels Trump Loser, Criticizes Ties To Putin: 'He Openly Admires Dictators And Authoritarians'
Photo: Shutterstock
