Donald Trump’s critics are accusing him of chickening out on a debate with Vice President Kamala Harris in September after the former president’s campaign put plans for a matchup on hold on Thursday night.
Trump had previously challenged President Joe Biden to a debate “anytime, anywhere, anyplace,” which led to an agreement for two debates: one in June, followed by a second in September.
But Trump appears to be rethinking that now that Biden is out of the race and Harris is likely to replace him.
Harris mocked the former president with a blunt reminder of his own words:
“I’m ready,” Harris said earlier in the day. “I think the voters deserve to see the split screen that exists in this race on a debate stage and so I’m ready. Let’s go.”
Trump, however, apparently is not ready.
His campaign said on Thursday that Harris may not be the candidate and that plans for any debate can’t be finalized “until Democrats formally decide on their nominee.”
Trump debated Biden last month despite the fact that Biden at the time had not been officially nominated.
The former president’s critics clucked at him on X with hashtags such as “TrumpIsChicken” and chicken memes: