OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Former President Donald Trump has made a demand of Joe Biden before the two face off in a series of debates but the president has yet to respond.
During a speech at the Minnesota Republican Party’s Lincoln Reagan Dinner in St. Paul, Minnesota he said he wants the president to take a drug test before the debates.
“No, I have fake Jake Tapper of CNN. And they, they said, ‘Do you want to debate this guy?’ But, you know, and I’m going to, I’m going to demand a drug test here, by the way. I am. No, I really am. I don’t want him coming in like the State of the Union. He was high as a kite. I said, ‘Is that Joe up there?’ A beautiful rope. And by the end of the evening, he’s like, well, it was exhausted. Right now, we’re going to demand a drug test,” the former president said.
The two debates are set to be held June 27 on CNN and Sept. 10 on ABC News. On Wednesday, President Biden challenged the former president to a debate after months of Trump challenging him.
“Donald Trump lost two debates to me in 2020,” he said. “Since then, he hasn’t shown up for a debate. Now he’s acting like he wants to debate me again. Well, make my day, pal, I’ll even do it twice.”
After Trump said he was in, Biden said in a post on X that he “received and accepted an invitation” from CNN for a debate on June 27. “Over to you, Donald. As you said: anywhere, any time, any place,” Biden wrote.
When asked for comment, Trump told Fox News Digital that he will accept the invitation and “will be there.” The Republican added that he is “looking forward to being in beautiful Atlanta.”
The proposal, initially detailed by the Biden-Harris campaign in a letter to the bipartisan Commission on Presidential Debates on Wednesday morning, moves away from the longstanding tradition of three fall debates organized by the commission.
Following the announcement, Trump told Fox News that he would agree to the incumbent Democrat’s proposed timeline.
“Crooked Joe Biden is the worst debater I have ever faced – he can’t put two sentences together,” Trump told Fox News Digital. “Crooked is also the worst president in the history of the United States, by far.”
Trump also told the outlet that “it is time for a debate to take place – even if it has to be held through the offices of the Commission on Presidential Debates, which are totally controlled by Democrats and who, as people remember, got caught cheating with me with debate sound levels.”
“I’m ready to go,” Trump said. “The dates that they proposed are fine. Anywhere. Anytime. Any place. Let’s see if Joe can make it to the stand-up podium.”
“The proposed June and early September dates are fully acceptable to me,” Trump added in his statement to Fox News Digital. “I will provide my own transportation.”
Some Democrats, however, are voicing concerns. On Wednesday, Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi revealed her personal views on the debates.
“I myself would never recommend going on stage with Donald Trump, but the president has decided that’s what he wants to do,” Pelosi said, Fox News reported. “I think the format he is suggesting is a good one.”
The California Democrat also suggested that instead of a debate, she would prefer to see “separate town hall meetings” for each candidate to let the audience “challenge them with questions about the future.”
In a letter obtained by Fox News Digital, the Biden-Harris campaign suggested that the first debate take place in late June, following the expected conclusion of Trump’s New York criminal trial and Biden’s return from the G-7 Summit where he will meet with world leaders.
A second presidential debate would occur in September, preceding the start of early voting. Additionally, the campaign proposed a vice presidential debate to take place in late July, following the Republican nomination of their vice presidential candidate, Fox reported.
