Feb 5, 2024 - Politics & Policy

Trump says he wants to debate Biden now "for the good of the country"

Rebecca Falconer

Combination of images of now-President Biden and now-former President Trump during their first presidential debate in Cleveland, Ohio, in 2020. Photos: Jim Watson and Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images

Former President Trump said Monday he wants to debate President Biden "now" ahead of the 2024 presidential election in November.

Why it matters: Trump has refused to take part in any of the Republican presidential primary debates.

What he's saying: "I'd like to debate him now because we should debate. We should debate for the good of the country," Trump said during a radio interview on "The Dan Bongino Show."

The other side: "Immediately? Well, if I were him, I'd want to debate me, too. He's got nothing else to do," Biden told reporters when asked for a response to Trump's comments.

Meanwhile, Reuters reports that a spokesperson for Trump's Republican 2024 rival Nikki Haley said the GOP primary frontrunner is "too chicken" to debate the former U.S. ambassador to the UN.

"Now it's time for Trump to man up and agree to debate Nikki Haley," Haley campaign spokesperson Olivia Perez-Cubas added.
"Nikki is ready to put her conservative record and vision for a strong and proud America up against Trump's campaign of chaos and vendettas."

Go deeper: The future of presidential debates has never been more uncertain

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Trump says he wants to debate Biden now "for the good of the country"

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