Trump Questions Debate Participation, Slams ABC's "Unfairness

Former President Trump has expressed doubts about participating in an upcoming ABC News debate with Vice President Kamala Harris, criticizing the network for its "unfairness" and suggesting an alternative network host the event.

Former President Donald Trump has raised concerns about the upcoming ABC News debate with Vice President Kamala Harris scheduled for September 10, indicating he may withdraw his participation. During a campaign stop in Falls Church, Virginia, Trump criticized ABC as the "single worst network for unfairness" and suggested it should be "shut out" of hosting the event.

Trump specifically criticized ABC Chief Washington Correspondent Jonathan Karl, describing him as a "lightweight" and accusing him of being "terrible" during an interview with Republican Senator Tom Cotton. The former president also took aim at ABC's "This Week" roundtable, singling out former Democratic National Committee interim chair Donna Brazile for her alleged involvement in providing Hillary Clinton with debate questions during the 2016 campaign.

Trump Questions Debate Participation, Slams ABC's "Unfairness

Trump further pointed to ABC News' senior executive, Dana Walden, as a close friend of Vice President Harris, claiming this relationship could lead to bias in the debate's moderation. He questioned why he had agreed to participate with ABC and suggested exploring an alternative network.

"Let's do it with another network. I want to do that," Trump said. "You know, I won because of debates, ask Biden."

Trump Questions Debate Participation, Slams ABC's "Unfairness

Trump emphasized his desire for a fair debate, but expressed concerns about ABC's perceived hostility towards him. He compared ABC's alleged unfairness unfavorably to CNN, NBC, and CBS, suggesting that he considered CBS to be the most impartial network among the major broadcasters.

The ABC News debate will be moderated by anchors David Muir and Linsey Davis. It will mark the first time that Trump and Harris have faced off in a direct debate setting.

Trump Questions Debate Participation, Slams ABC's "Unfairness

Trump's comments come amid an ongoing dispute between his campaign and the Harris campaign over the debate's rules. Trump's team has objected to rules that would cut off candidates' microphones if they exceed their allotted speaking times.

The former president has filed a defamation lawsuit against ABC News and George Stephanopoulos for allegedly stating that Trump was "found liable for rape" during an interview with Representative Nancy Mace in March 2021.

Despite Trump's concerns, ABC News has affirmed its commitment to hosting the debate, emphasizing its commitment to fairness and impartiality. The network has not yet responded to Trump's specific allegations of bias.