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.
“Under the bright lights, the American people got to see the choice they will face this fall at the ballot box: between moving forward with Kamala Harris or going backwards with Trump,” Jen O’Malley Dillon, the head of the Harris campaign, said at the time.
Harris’s camp quickly challenged Trump to a follow-up debate, seeking to build on the momentum. Trump, however, rejected the possibility in Thursday’s Truth Social post. He also sought to reframe the aftermath of the debate in his favour.
“When a prizefighter loses a fight, the first words out of his mouth are, ‘I WANT A REMATCH,'” he wrote.
Trump articulated a similar sentiment in the minutes after the debate itself. Speaking to reporters, the Republican candidate argued the challenge only came because Harris “lost”.
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