CNN on Tuesday imposed a deadline on Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump to formally respond to its offer to host another debate this month as Election Day nears.
Following the two candidates’ showdown on ABC News last month, the network offered to hold another Trump-Harris debate on Oct. 23 at its headquarters in Atlanta.
In a new statement this week, CNN pressed Harris and Trump to formally declare whether they intend to take part in the event, arguing that another face-off would be valuable to voters.
“We believe the American people would benefit from a second debate between the two candidates for President of the United States,” it said.
“With less than 30 days to Election Day, we are placing a deadline for a formal response from both campaigns for this Thursday, October 10 at 12 p.m. ET to participate,” it added.
Harris has previously said she would welcome the prospect of debating Trump again.
“I will gladly accept a second presidential debate on October 23,” Harris wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Sept. 21. “I hope @realDonaldTrump will join me.”
Jen O’Malley Dillon, her campaign’s chair, echoed the candidate’s message, noting that the rules would be similar to when Trump debated President Joe Biden on CNN this summer.
“Trump should have no problem agreeing to this debate,” she said at the time. “It is the same format and setup as the CNN debate he attended and said he won in June, when he praised CNN’s moderators, rules, and ratings.”
Biden’s poor performance in the June debate prompted his decision to withdraw his candidacy, paving the way for Harris to become the Democratic nominee.
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But Trump argued the date put forward by CNN is “too late” in the campaign cycle, despite the fact that it is in line with the debate calendar of past election seasons.
Brian Fallon, a spokesperson for the Harris campaign, on Tuesday confirmed that “Harris remains ready to appear at CNN debate on October 23 if Trump will agree.”
“Trump has ducked 60 Minutes and debates, and refused to release medical records, in campaign closing weeks as his speeches show him to be less and less stable,” Fallon wrote on X.
Trump has yet to address CNN’s latest deadline, but said last week he’s “not looking to do” another debate with Harris.
Most recently, Trump pulled out of a customary interview with CBS’s “60 Minutes” despite previously agreeing to appear on the program’s election special. The episode went ahead with Harris’ interview.