OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
President Joe Biden is running out of room to hide from former President Donald Trump.
The president, who sometimes has a noticeably tough time stringing two sentences together during interviews, said, during an appearance on The Howard Stern Show, that he would debate the former president, and now Trump is calling his bluff, Fox News reported.
In a short letter to the president posted on his Truth Social account, the former president asked for the debates to begin.
“Dear Joe, now that you’ve committed to Debate on the now dying Howard Stern Show, no less, [sic] let’s set it up right now. I’m ready to go anywhere that you are,” he said.
“We could do it in D.C., even pinpoint the White House, or in New York when your Radical Left Fascists are finished with ELECTION INTERFERENCE against your Political Opponent, ME,” he said.
The same day that the former president posted his letter, President Biden was asked, during a ceremony to celebrate the WNBA champions, The Las Vegas Aces, if he would debate former President Trump, to which he said, “Set it up.”
The Commission on Presidential Debates has made no effort to change its schedule to accommodate earlier debates, which will start after some states have begun early voting.
“The CPD’s criteria […] will be applied in early September; afterward, the Commission will extend debate invitations to qualifying candidates,” it said to Fox News Digital in April.
Donald Trump immediately trolled his likely 2024 opponent, President Joe Biden, after the latter declared on “The Howard Stern Show” on Friday that he would debate the former president.
“[L]et’s do the Debate at the Courthouse tonight – on National Television, I’ll wait around!” Trump posted on Truth Social during his lunch break.
Before Friday, Biden and his campaign were noncommital about debating Trump, even though the former extended an invitation in March, pledging to debate “anytime, anywhere, anyplace.”
“Crooked Joe Biden just announced that he’s willing to debate! Everyone knows he doesn’t really mean it, but in case he does, I say, ANYWHERE, ANYTIME, ANYPLACE, an old expression used by Fighters,” Trump posted Friday.
He added:
I suggest Monday Evening, Tuesday Evening, or Wednesday Evening at my Rally in Michigan, a State that he is in the process of destroying with his E.V. Mandate.
In the alternative, he’s in New York City today, although probably doesn’t know it, and so am I, stuck in one of the many Court cases that he instigated as ELECTION INTERFERENCE AGAINST A POLITICAL OPPONENT – A CONTINUING WITCH HUNT! It’s the only way he thinks he can win. In fact, let’s do the Debate at the Courthouse tonight – on National Television, I’ll wait around!
During the show, Stern asked Biden if he planned to debate Trump, to which Biden responded: “I am, somewhere. I am happy to debate him.”
Biden’s statement came during an interview in which he delivered outlandish statements and perhaps some lies, according to Director of Communications for the State Freedom Caucus Network Greg Price, who listed them on the X platform:
- Claimed he saved six people from drowning as a lifeguard
- Claimed he received “salacious pictures” from women in the 1970s that he handed to Secret Service
- Claimed authorities arrested him as a kid
- Claimed he was a “runner-up in state scoring” in football
In March White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre would not commit to the president debating the former president.
The question came amid a post by Trump on his Truth Social platform in which he called Biden out for a debate “anytime, anywhere.”
“It is important, for the Good of our Country, that Joe Biden and I Debate Issues that are so vital to America, and the American People,” Trump wrote. “Therefore, I am calling for Debates, ANYTIME, ANYWHERE, ANYPLACE! The Debates can be run by the Corrupt DNC, or their Subsidiary, the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD),” he wrote, adding: “I look forward to receiving a response. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
“Just for clarity, it’s possible that there will be no Joe Biden-Donald Trump debates this fall?” Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy asked during a press briefing.
“Is that what you’re excited about?” she said in response. “Is that what you wanna see?”