The former president did not commit to another confrontation as he spoke to reporters in the propaganda room.
Kamala Harris dominated Donald Trump during their first debate on Tuesday, provoking the former president into a series of conspiracy-filled ramblings while delivering passionate speeches on issues like reproductive rights. The debate went so well that her campaign immediately challenged Trump to a second debate.
“Vice President Harris is ready for the second debate. Is Donald Trump the nominee?” Harris campaign manager Jen O'Malley Dillon told reporters.
Trump’s performance was heavily criticized by prominent Republicans. On Fox News, host Brit Hume declared that viewers should “realize that Trump had a bad night.” Senator Lindsey Graham (R-Calif.) 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 propaganda room in a cloud of delusion. The former president claimed Harris only wanted a second debate “because they lost.”
In conversations with reporters, Trump claimed that polls showed he had “90%, 60%, 71%, 89%” of…something. “Where do you get those numbers?” A 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 what Trump said during the debate. “It was three against one,” he said on Truth Social.
“We're getting great ratings,” Trump said in an interview with Fox News' Sean Hannity.
But the reviews weren’t good enough to make the former president willing to have a second debate. However, there’s still time for another debate, if both sides agree to terms. Vice presidential candidates Tim Walz and J.D. Vance are currently scheduled to face off on Oct. 1 in New York City.
