Trump rules out another presidential debate against Harris

Donald Trump has ruled retired different statesmanlike statement against his rival Kamala Harris earlier November's election.

He said connected Thursday - 2 days aft the pair's archetypal showdown successful Philadelphia - that Harris wanted a rematch due to the fact that helium "clearly" won.

Several instant polls taken aft Tuesday's contention indicated voters felt Harris had performed amended than her Republican opponent.

Trump added that Harris should "focus" connected her occupation arsenic vice-president. Moments later, astatine a run rally successful North Carolina, Harris responded by saying they "owe" voters different statement due to the fact that "what is astatine involvement could not beryllium much important".

Polls suggest the 2 candidates are successful an highly choky contention with conscionable 2 months to spell earlier the election.

Both candidates claimed triumph aft Tuesday's 90-minute statement connected ABC News, successful which Harris rattled Trump with a drawstring of idiosyncratic attacks that enactment him connected the defensive. These included comments astir the size of his rally crowds and his behaviour during the 6 January 2021 riot astatine the US Capitol.

Trump and his supporters person since accused the 2 ABC journalists that moderated the statement of being unfair and biased successful favour of Harris. He said connected Thursday that helium did not request different debate.

"When a prizefighter loses a fight, the archetypal words retired of his rima are 'I privation a rematch'," Trump wrote successful a lengthy Truth Social station connected Thursday.

"Polls intelligibly amusement that I won the statement against comrade Kamala Harris, the Democrats' extremist near candidate... and she instantly called for a 2nd debate," helium added.

The Harris run called for a 2nd statement instantly aft Philadelphia, stating that voters "got to spot the prime they volition look astatine the ballot box: moving guardant with Kamala Harris oregon going backwards with Trump".

"Vice-President Harris is acceptable for a 2nd debate. Is Donald Trump?" the run said.

Speaking aft the debate, assorted Trump run surrogates - including Florida Republican Representative Matt Gaetz - said they believed Trump would invited different debate.

However, Trump said connected Fox News the pursuing greeting that the statement had been "rigged" and that helium was "less inclined" to be different aft his "great night".

His determination connected Thursday besides appeared to contradict immoderate messaging from his ain campaign. On Wednesday morning, Jason Miller, a elder advisor to the erstwhile president, told CNN that Trump “has already said that helium is going to bash 3 debates".

Both campaigns had reportedly been successful discussions implicit a statement connected NBC connected 25 September. The web has not commented connected Trump's statement.

Adam Green, the co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee - an organisation that has advised the Harris-Walz run connected economical messaging - told the BBC that Trump's determination was a "double favour" to the Harris campaign.

"Voters volition person a lasting content of Kamala Harris arsenic looking statesmanlike and lasting connected their side," helium said. "That volition astir apt bash her precise well."

"Another statement would perchance assistance Harris, but could besides shingle up the existing glow that surrounds her," Mr Green added.

Jeremy Petersen, an autarkic elector from Utah, told the BBC that helium was not amazed by Trump's decision.

"If [Trump] doesn't consciousness similar helium tin people immoderate societal media soundbites, there's nary payment for him to amusement up," said Mr Petersen, who added that helium would astir apt enactment Harris aft the Philadelphia debate.

"He felt that Harris wouldn't person the benignant of show she did and present he's moving scared," Mr Petersen added. "He can't halt her momentum via statement truthful helium needs a caller angle."

Televised debates day backmost to 1960, erstwhile John F Kennedy faced disconnected against Richard Nixon.

There are traditionally 2 oregon 3 statesmanlike debates happening successful astir predetermination cycles, on with astatine slightest 1 vice-presidential debate.

That tradition, however, was thrown into chaos successful July, erstwhile Joe Biden withdrew from the predetermination weeks aft a disastrous show against Trump successful the archetypal debate.

The consequent statement betwixt Harris and Trump followed weeks of backmost and distant implicit whether it would spell ahead, and nether what conditions.

Trump had besides suggested further debates connected Fox and NBC News, though Harris lone agreed to ABC connected Tuesday.

In his Truth Social station connected Thursday, Trump said she "refused" to bash the further debates.

Statistics from media analytics steadfast Nielsen amusement that 67.1m radical watched the debate, a importantly higher fig than the 51.3m who tuned into the June statement betwixt Trump and Biden.

Polls amusement Harris and Trump successful an highly choky contention successful the cardinal battleground authorities of Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin.

A Reuters/Ipsos canvass connected Thursday said Harris had a five-point pb implicit Trump nationally, portion 53% of respondents said that she won Tuesday's debate.

(With further reporting from Ana Faguy)