Former President Trump suggested the White House as the venue for a debate against President Biden, saying he “would be very comfortable.”
The presumptive 2024 Republican presidential nominee, after hours in a Manhattan courtroom for the eigth day of his criminal trial, has repeatedly said he will debate Biden “anywhere, anytime, anyplace.”
Biden broke his silence on debating his 2024 opponent on Friday during an interview with radio host Howard Stern. Biden said he would be “happy” to debate Trump.
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“I am, somewhere, I don’t know when,” Biden said, after Stern said he didn’t know whether Biden would participate in a debate. “I’m happy to debate him.”
Trump, shortly after Biden’s interview, which he did during a visit to New York City Friday, posted to his Truth Social account inviting Biden to debate him at the courthouse in Lower Manhattan.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the media as he leaves court during his trial for allegedly covering up hush money payments at Manhattan Criminal Court on April 22, 2024 in New York City. (Brendan McDermid-Pool/Getty Images)
“In the alternative, he’s in New York City today, although probably doesn’t know it, and so am I, stuck in one of the many Court cases that he instigated as ELECTION INTERFERENCE AGAINST A POLITICAL OPPONENT – A CONTINUING WITCH HUNT!” Trump posted to Truth Social. “It’s the only way he thinks he can win. In fact, let’s do the Debate at the Courthouse tonight – on National Television, I’ll wait around!”
Trump, after court ended Friday, came out and reflected on the day of testimony.
“We sit here day, after day, after day, which is their plan,” Trump said of the Democrats, who he said hope to win the election. “But I doubt it because the poll numbers are very good for us.”
Trump told reporters he had invited Biden to debate.
TRUMP CALLS FOR DEBATES WITH BIDEN ‘ANYTIME, ANYWHERE, ANYPLACE’
“He can do it anytime he wants, including tonight. He can do it tonight,” Trump said. “I invited him to the courthouse that he has us tied up in. This is a well coordinated attack on a political opponent.”
Trump added: “But I’m here, I’m ready, willing and able.”
Trump said “if he wants, I’ll do it on Monday night, Tuesday night and Wednesday night.”
Trump said Wednesday night he will campaign in Michigan, saying it is a state that Biden “has destroyed because of the auto industry” and said auto jobs are “all going over to China with his ridiculous electric vehicle mandate.”
“But we’re willing to do it Monday night, Tuesday night, Wednesday night, Thursday night, Friday night on national television,” Trump said. “We’re ready. Just tell me where.”
President Joe Biden speaks at the IBEW Construction and Maintenance Conference, Friday, April 19, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
“We’ll do it at the White House,” Trump said. “That would be very comfortable, actually. You tell me where. We’re ready.”
Trump told reporters that Biden was “obviously not showing up now” to the courthouse.
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“We’ve heard nothing, but he said today he’d love to debate,” Trump said. “But he won’t debate. I don’t think he’ll debate. Maybe he will. Maybe he will. I’m not sure he has a choice.”
He added: “We’re ready, willing and able. We don’t see him and I don’t think he’ll be here. Maybe next week he’ll do it.”
“I doubt it,” Trump said. “But maybe next week.”
Earlier this month, the Trump campaign called for additional 2024 presidential debates and for them to take place “much earlier” than initially proposed by the debate commission.
U.S. President Donald Trump answers a question as Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden listens during the final presidential debate at the Curb Event Center at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, U.S., October 22, 2020. Morry Gash/Pool via REUTERS REFILE – CORRECTING BYLINE (Morry Gash/Pool via REUTERS)
Trump, in an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital shortly after, said he is “totally committed” to debating President Biden “anytime, anywhere, anyplace.”
As for Biden, before today, he had not yet committed to debating his opponent.
When asked last month if he would debate the former president, Biden said it was dependent on Trump’s “behavior.”
“Depends on his behavior,” Biden said.
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Earlier this year, Biden addressed previous calls for earlier debates with Trump.
“If I were him, I would want to debate me, too,” Biden told reporters in Nevada when asked about Trump wanting to debate him earlier in the election cycle.
“He’s got nothing else to do,” Biden said.