Trump campaign says he'll skip the virtual 2nd debate and 'do a rally instead'
The next 2020 presidential debate is going virtual — but President Trump apparently doesn't plan to be there.
Trump on Thursday slammed the Commission on Presidential Debates' announcement that the second presidential debate will be going virtual for health and safety reasons. The president, who announced he tested positive for COVID-19 days after the first 2020 debate last week, called this change "not acceptable" and said he will no longer be participating.
"I'm not going to do a virtual debate," Trump told Fox Business. "I'm not going to waste my time on a virtual debate. That's not what debating's all about. You sit behind a computer and do a debate. It's ridiculous."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien, who like Trump also recently tested positive for COVID-19, said in a statement the campaign will "pass on this sad excuse to bail out Joe Biden and do a rally instead."
The Commission on Presidential Debates said it was making its decision to take the debate virtual and have the candidates participate remotely to "protect the health and safety of all involved" following Trump's recent coronavirus diagnosis and hospitalization. The White House has said Trump tested positive for COVID-19 on Oct. 1, but it has not disclosed when he last tested negative for the coronavirus.
-
How the FCC’s ‘equal time’ rule worksIn the Spotlight The law is at the heart of the Colbert-CBS conflict
-
What is the endgame in the DHS shutdown?Today’s Big Question Democrats want to rein in ICE’s immigration crackdown
-
‘Poor time management isn’t just an inconvenience’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Rubio boosts Orbán ahead of Hungary electionSpeed Read Far-right nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is facing a tough re-election fight after many years in power
-
Key Bangladesh election returns old guard to powerSpeed Read The Bangladesh Nationalist Party claimed a decisive victory
-
Epstein files topple law CEO, roil UK governmentSpeed Read Peter Mandelson, Britain’s former ambassador to the US, is caught up in the scandal
-
Iran and US prepare to meet after skirmishesSpeed Read The incident comes amid heightened tensions in the Middle East
-
EU and India clinch trade pact amid US tariff warSpeed Read The agreement will slash tariffs on most goods over the next decade
-
Israel retrieves final hostage’s body from GazaSpeed Read The 24-year-old police officer was killed during the initial Hamas attack
-
China’s Xi targets top general in growing purgeSpeed Read Zhang Youxia is being investigated over ‘grave violations’ of the law
-
Panama and Canada are negotiating over a crucial copper mineIn the Spotlight Panama is set to make a final decision on the mine this summer
