US elections: Trump declines another presidential debate with Harris, VP says ‘We owe it to the voters’

Former President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that he would not participate in another debate with Vice President Kamala Harris as the two opponents focus on battleground states ahead of a tightly contested US presidential election. Harris, on the other hand, called for a second debate against Trump, saying “we owe it to the voters.”
Following their heated televised debate earlier this week, Trump took to social media to declare himself the winner, dismissing Harris’ call for another face-off.He said: “THERE WILL BE NO THIRD DEBATE!”, referring to the recent face-off with Harris and a previous debate with Joe Biden in June, which had pushed Biden out of the race.
“When a prize fighter loses a fight, the first words out of his mouth are ‘I want a rematch’,” Trump wrote.

Trump boasted about his performance, stating, “Polls clearly show that I won the Debate against Comrade Kamala Harris,” despite snap polls suggesting Harris performed better in front of an audience of over 67 million viewers.

In response, Harris reiterated her commitment to transparency. “This election and what is at stake could not be more important,” she told the Charlotte crowd, stressing that voters need another chance to compare her vision of the future with Trump’s policies.
She urged for another debate during a rally in North Carolina saying voters “deserve another debate” to see the candidates clearly.
“Two nights ago, Donald Trump and I had our first debate, and I believe we owe it to the voters to have another,” she said, emphasizing the importance of the upcoming election.

The two candidates faced off in a heated debate in Philadelphia earlier this week, hosted by ABC News. While both sides claimed victory, polling suggests Harris may have gained the upper hand. A Reuters/Ipsos poll taken after the debate shows Harris leading Trump 47% to 42% among registered voters—a five-point margin that slightly increased from her previous four-point lead in August.
However, the polls don’t entirely back up Trump’s claims. According to the Reuters poll, 53% of voters thought Harris won the debate, compared to just 24% who believed Trump performed better. A CNN flash poll showed similar results, with 60% of respondents favoring Harris’ performance.
The post-debate polls, along with Harris’ increased national support, reflect her growing momentum. In addition to the Reuters poll, a CNN poll found that about 52% of voters felt Trump faltered during the debate, leading to a stronger showing for Harris.
While Harris continues to push for a second debate, it remains uncertain if Trump will reconsider. The vice presidential debate between GOP Senator JD Vance and Democratic Governor Tim Walz is still on the calendar for October 1, but for now, the Harris-Trump debate saga seems paused.