Donald Trump Says He Will Not Debate Kamala Harris Again: 'Polls Clearly Show That I Won'

Trump, who was deemed the loser of the Sept. 10 debate in polls, rejected Harris' challenge to a rematch in October

<p>SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty</p> President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris shake hands at the start of their first debate on Sept. 10, 2024

SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty

President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris shake hands at the start of their first debate on Sept. 10, 2024

Former President Donald Trump is saying that he will not participate in another 2024 debate with Vice President Kamala Harris, which would have been his third debate of the election cycle.

"THERE WILL BE NO THIRD DEBATE!" he posted on Truth Social on Thursday, Sept. 12. Though Trump has only participated in one debate with Harris, he previously faced off with President Joe Biden in June.

"When a prizefighter loses a fight, the first words out of his mouth are, 'I WANT A REMATCH,' " Trump wrote in the same post. "Polls clearly show that I won the Debate against Comrade Kamala Harris, the Democrats’ Radical Left Candidate, on Tuesday night, and she immediately called for a Second Debate."

Harris, 59, did call for another debate within minutes of leaving the stage on Tuesday, Sept. 10 — though polls overwhelmingly declared her the winner of the evening, not Trump, after she successfully put the former president on the defensive.

Trump, 78, originally told Fox and Friends on Sept. 11 that he felt “less inclined” to participate in another round, asserting that his performance was strong enough to not require a follow-up debate.

Related: Presidential Debate Full Recap: Harris Calls for Second Face-Off After Holding Firm Against Trump's Attacks

Another debate would have marked only the third time that the two candidates have met face-to-face: the first at the Sept. 10 ABC News debate and the second at a 9/11 memorial ceremony the following morning.

They were supposed to have crossed paths at Biden and Harris' inauguration back in 2021, but Trump broke precedent in skipping the ceremonial transfer of power and instead returned to Mar-a-Lago early.

In one of the most viral moments from the debate, the Democratic and Republican nominees exchanged their first-ever handshake before taking their positions. Harris crossed the middle of the stage to introduce herself behind Trump’s lectern, saying, "Kamala Harris. Let's have a good debate."

Related: Taylor Swift Endorses Kamala Harris After Presidential Debate, Proudly Signs Note ‘Childless Cat Lady’

<p>Win McNamee/Getty</p> Donald Trump and Kamala Harris on the debate stage on Sept. 10, 2024

Win McNamee/Getty

Donald Trump and Kamala Harris on the debate stage on Sept. 10, 2024

Trump was critical of ABC News’ handling of the first debate, claiming it was “rigged” and “three-to-one,” per Fox News.

Alternatively, Harris 2024 campaign chair Jen O'Malley Dillon framed the evening as an exposé of Trump's vision for the United States.

“Under the bright lights, the American people got to see the choice they will face this fall at the ballot box: between moving forward with Kamala Harris, or going backwards with Trump," she said in a statement on Sept. 10.

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