Trump challenges Biden to debate him after refusing to go up against Republican rivals

Despite refusing to show up for any of the Republican primary debates – or for the presidential debates in 2020 – Donald Trump is now challenging PresidentJoe Biden to debate him this time around.

Speaking at a town hall on Fox News Tuesday night, the former president and Republican frontrunner said there was “an obligation” for the pair to go head-to-head in the lead-up to the election in November.

“Frankly, I think we have an obligation. When you have the final Republican, the final Democrat, you have the two people, you have to debate regardless of polls,” Mr Trump told Laura Ingraham in South Carolina.

Mr Trump said he would like to have as many debates as necessary, adding: “I would like to do it starting now”.

The former president said he doesn’t believe Mr Biden will be willing to debate him – despite it being Mr Trump who refused to take part in one of the planned events in the run-up to the 2020 election.

Three presidential debates are planned so far for the 2024 election.

During the current election period, Mr Trump has refused to show up to any televised debates between his Republican rivals, instead choosing to stage rival events such as town halls or interviews with former Fox News presenter Tucker Carlson.

“When you debate, you want to be smart, you don’t have to waste your time,” Mr Trump told Ms Ingraham.

Voters have not been deterred by his refusal to go head-to-head with his Republican rivals, however, with Mr Trump continuously leading his fellow GOP candidates in the polls and winning the first three primaries.

Despite several recent blunders – not to mention his string of criminal and civil issues – the former president is trying to position himself as a far more capable candidate than Mr Biden, who he is trying to paint as a “diminished” yet “stubborn” character.

“He’s declined and there is no question about it,” Mr Trump said on Tuesday. “He’s tried to be president many times, four times at least that they know of.”

Mr Biden ran for president in 1988 and 2008, when he then became Barack Obama’s vice president, before gaining office in 2020.

If they go ahead as planned, the three official presidential debates for 2024 will take place at Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas on 16 September; Virginia State University in Petersburg, Virginia on 1 October; and at The University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah on 9 October.

In the 2020 election cycle, there were initially three scheduled debates. The first debate took place on 29 September and was chaotic and combative with Mr Trump interrupting constantly leading Mr Biden to memorably say: “Will you shut up, man?”

The next debate was scheduled to take place on October 15 but was cancelled due to Mr Trump having recently contracted Covid-19 and his refusal to appear at a remote event.

Instead, the two candidates took part in duelling town halls on ABC and NBC.

A final debate took place on 22 October and was more disciplined than the first but with neither candidate pulling punches.

Vice presidential candidates Mike Pence and Kamala Harris also debated on 7 October, with Mr Pence memorably joined by a fly.