The former president wouldn’t commit to another showdown while speaking with reporters in the spin room
Kamala Harris dominated Donald Trump during their first debate on Tuesday, goading the former president into a series of conspiracy-laden rants while delivering impassioned speeches on issues like reproductive rights. The debate went so well that her campaign immediately issued a challenge to Trump for a second debate.
“Vice President Harris is ready for a second debate. Is Donald Trump?” Harris Campaign Manager Jen O’Malley Dillon told reporters.
Trump’s performance was lambasted by prominent Republicans. On Fox News, anchor Brit Hume declared that viewers should “Make no mistake about it, Trump had a bad night.” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) told reporters that the debate team had been a “disaster” for Trump and that his prep team should be fired.
Trump arrived at the post-debate spin room in a cloud of delusion. The former president claimed that Harris only wanted a second debate “because they lost.”
In his conversations with reporters, Trump claimed that polls showed he had gotten “90 percent, 60 percent, 71 percent, 89 percent,” of … something. “Where are you getting these numbers?” one reporter shouted at him.
The former president also complained about the debate moderators — ABC News’ David Muir and Linsey Davis — who were repeatedly forced to fact check Trump during the debate. It was “three on one,” he griped on Truth Social.
“We’re getting great reviews,” Trump told Fox News’ Sean Hannity in an interview from the spin room.
The reviews, however, are not so good that the former president is willing to commit to a rematch. Nevertheless, there is still time for another debate to take place, should both sides agree to terms. Vice presidential candidates Tim Walz and J.D. Vance are currently slated to square off on Oct. 1 in New York City.
