In a letter obtained by Fox News, co-campaign managers Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita wrote to The Commission on Presidential Debates co-chairs Frank Farenkopf Jr and Antonia Hernandez, stating they were writing “in agreement with the pending letter” from “television networks advocating for presidential debates to occur in 2024.”
“While the Commission on Presidential Debates has already announced three presidential debates and a vice-presidential debate to occur later this year, we are in favor of these debates beginning much earlier,” they wrote.
LaCivita and Wiles noted that “voting is beginning earlier and earlier, and as we saw in 2020, tens of millions of Americans had already voted by the time of the first debate.”
“Specific to the Commission’s proposed 2024 calendar, it simply comes too late,” they added, estimating that “by the date of the first proposed debate, September 16, 2024, over 1 million Americans will have likely voted.”
“By the date of the second proposed debate, October 1, 2024, the number of Americans who will have likely cast a ballot will be over 3 million, an increase of 225%.”
“The Commission must move up the timetable of its proposed 2024 debates to ensure more Americans have a full chance to see the candidates before they start voting, and we would argue for adding more debates in addition to those on the currently proposed schedule.”
“We have already indicated President Trump is willing to debate anytime, anyplace, and anywhere—and the time to start these debates is now.”
Trump told the outlet it is “very important to have the debates now because the country is doing so badly,” adding that “I would fully accept any debate, anywhere, anytime, anyplace.”
In a video released on the matter, Trump said, “It’s time for Crooked Joe Biden, the worst president in the history of the United States, and I to debate. We have to talk about what he’s doing, and where we’re going. We owe it to our country, we owe it to all Americans. Anytime, anywhere, anyplace.”
In a statement, Republican National Committee Michael Whatley and Co-Chair Lara Trump said in a statement, “The RNC has long pushed for reforms that foster truly free and fair debates. Election calendars have become longer than ever before — and scheduling debates after millions of Americans have already cast their ballots does a grave disservice to voters who want to hear solutions to the economic, border, and crime crises created by Joe Biden.”
“It’s no wonder that Biden wants to return to the basement and avoid accountability for his failures, but Americans deserve to see the contrast between his weaknesses and President Trump’s vision to Make America Great Again.”
