Trump Declines Harris Debate Challenge: 'There Will Be No Third Debate'

Zinger Key Points
  • "Polls clearly show that I won the Debate," Trump said, but a majority of viewers disagree.
  • "It's all about him, it's not about you," Harris told voters in North Carolina after Trump made his announcement.

Voters should not expect another debate between Ex-President Donald Trump and current Vice President Kamala Harris.

What Happened: Multiple media outlets — CNN, the Washington Post, the New York Post — reported that most voters felt Harris defeated Trump in Tuesday night's matchup in Philadelphia.

Trump disagrees. "When a prizefighter loses a fight, the first words out of his mouth are, ‘I WANT A REMATCH.' Polls clearly show that I won the Debate against Comrade Kamala Harris," Trump wrote Thursday. "She immediately called for a Second Debate."

All the “problems caused by Kamala and Joe – it was discussed in great detail during the First Debate with Joe, and the Second Debate with Comrade Harris,” Trump added.

Trump also accused Harris of being “a no-show” at a Fox debate. Fact-checkers later clarified that Trump proposed Sept. 4 as a date for a debate with Harris, but the vice president never publicly agreed.

"Kamala should focus on what she should have done during the last almost four year period,” Trump added. “There will be no third debate!"

See full statement below:

Did You Know?

Why It's Important: The candidates “owe it to the voters to have another debate,” Harris said at a rally in Charlotte, North Carolina, just after Trump’s announcement.

She did not cite Trump’s social media post specifically. However, Harris explained to the crowd that “what is at stake could not be more important.”

“On Tuesday night, I talked about issues that I know matter to families across America, like bringing down the cost of living, investing in America’s small businesses, protecting reproductive freedom and keeping our nation safe and secure,” Harris said.

“But that’s not what we heard from Donald Trump,” she continued. “Instead, it was the same old show, that same tired playbook that we have heard for years, with no plans for how he would address the needs of the American people because, you know, it’s all about him, it’s not about you. Well, folks, I said it then, I say it now, it’s time to turn the page.”

On prediction market Polymarket the odds for a second Trump vs. Harris debate quickly shifted after Trump's post.

The odds of a second debate between the duo currently stand at 26%, falling from 43% after the first debate and over 64% earlier Thursday morning.

Another prediction market for how many debates there will be between Harris and Trump, the odds for one quickly rose to 78% with two debates listed at 20%, three debates listed at 2% and four or more debates under 1%.

On Polymarket, users can deposit funds using USDC USDC/USD via the Polygon MATIC/USD network, or directly from a crypto account with Ethereum ETH/USD. In each betting market, the winning option pays out at $1.

The prediction market for the winner of the 2024 presidential election has attracted nearly $900 million in wagers on Polymarket. Harris is currently listed as the favorite at 50% with Trump close behind at 49%.

Betting markets at sportsbooks have changed since the first presidential debate with Harris flipping to a lead at Bet365 and odds of -125, with Trump behind at +100.

An endorsement of Harris by Taylor Swift was also seen as a reason betting odds had flipped.

Media companies that have been hoping for more debates ahead of the 2024 presidential election are likely the losers here. The 67.1 million viewers for Tuesday's debate topped the 51.3 million total from the June debate between Trump and Biden.

What’s Next: CBS News is hosting a vice-presidential debate between J.D. Vance and Tim Walz on Oct. 1.

DJT Price Action: Trump Media & Technology Group DJT shares fell 4% to $16.08 on Thursday versus a 52-week trading range of $15.30 to $79.38.

Shares of the Trump media company that owns Truth Social have fallen 35% in the last month and continued their fall after the debate and Trump's betting odds changed for a potential return to the White House.

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Image: Shutterstock

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Posted In: PoliticsTop Stories2024 election2024 Presidential ElectionABC NewsDonald TrumpEdge ProjectKamala HarrisPolymarketpresidential debateTRUTH Social
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