Biden “happy to debate” Trump – responds former president

Joe Biden said he would be open to debating his presumptive Republican opponent, Donald Trump, ahead of November’s presidential election.

The US president was speaking to radio host Howard Stern on Sirius XM, who asked him Mr. Biden if he wanted to debate Mr. Trumpto which he replied: “I’m somewhere. I don’t know when. But I’m happy to debate him.”

His response is the clearest indication Mr Biden has given of the prospect of a clash between the two, having avoided the idea until now.

In March, Mr. Biden considered the idea when he said that a debate with Mr. Trump “depends on his behavior.”

Meanwhile, the Trump campaign has been saying for some time that the former president is ready to debate Joe Biden at any time, while campaign adviser Chris LaCivita responded to Mr Biden’s comments on X by saying: ” OK, let’s install it!”

Mr. Trump, who is currently in office trial over hush money chargesresponded to the president on his Truth Social platform, saying, “Everyone knows he doesn’t really mean it, but in case he does, I say, ANYWHERE, ANYTIME, ANYWHERE.”

Mr. Trump suggested he was ready to debate as early as “Monday night,” when he would gather in the swing state of Michigan for the week.

He also granted two additional evenings to hold the debate, as he will not participate in the trial during this time.

The two men clashed twice before the 2020 elections, with a notable moment during the first debate as an exasperated Mr. Biden said, “Will you shut up, man,” as Mr. Trump spoke for him as he attempted to answer a question about the Supreme Court.

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Mr. Trump did not participate in any of the Republican primary debates this cycle.

The Commission on Presidential Debates has already announced the dates and locations for three general election debates between the presidential candidates: September 16 in Texas, October 1 in Virginia and October 9 in Salt Lake City.

Presidential campaign debates have been commonplace since 1976, when Republican Gerald Ford faced Democrat Jimmy Carter.

Separately, during Mr. Biden’s in-depth interview with Stern, the US leader spoke in depth about his family’s history, losing his first wife and daughter in a car accident and the death of his son Beau due to cancer.