Former President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he will debate President Joe Biden "anytime, anywhere, anyplace" as the two men turned their attention toward a general election rematch a day after dominating Super Tuesday primaries.
"It is important for the Good of our Country, that Joe Biden and I Debate issues that are so vital to American, and the American people," Trump wrote on the Truth Social media platform. "Therefore, I am calling for Debates, ANYTIME, ANYWHERE, ANYPLACE!"
Trump declined to take part in Republican primary debates and has been critical of general-election candidate matchups hosted by the long-standing Commission on Presidential Debates. But on Wednesday, he said he would go toe-to-toe with Biden in commission debates — or even debates hosted by the Democratic National Committee — if the president will agree.
Biden has not yet said whether he will debate Trump before the November election. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre deflected a question from Fox News earlier Wednesday about whether dodging debates would cast doubt on Biden's "acuity."
"Talk to the campaign," Jean-Pierre said.
In a statement, Biden campaign spokesperson Michael Tyler declined to address whether the president would debate, suggesting that's a discussion for later date.
"I know Donald Trump’s thirsty for attention and struggling to expand his appeal beyond the MAGA base — and that’s a conversation we’ll have at the appropriate time in this cycle," Tyler said. "But if he’s so desperate to see President Biden in prime time, he doesn’t have to wait! He can join the tens of millions of Americans who will tune in to watch the State of the Union tomorrow night. He might even learn a thing or two about bringing people together and actually delivering for the American people.”
Biden and Trump debated twice in 2020, when the middle meeting of three scheduled debates was canceled following Trump's refusal to conduct it virtually due to Covid-19.
