Biden's Campaign Shuts Down Trump's Challenge For Additional Debates: 'The Debate About Debates Is Over, No More Games'

The campaign for President Joe Biden has declined two additional debates proposed by the campaign for former President Donald Trump.

What Happened: The Biden campaign rejected the proposed debates on Friday. The debates were to be hosted by NBC News and Telemundo, and Fox News at Virginia State University, respectively.

Trump had accepted the debates, aiming to reach larger Latino and Black audiences. This move was perceived as a challenge to the Biden campaign, which has been struggling to connect with the communities, reported NBC News. 

A Biden campaign official stated, "The debate about debates is over. No more games.”

The Trump campaign criticized Biden's decision, alleging that Biden's team was afraid to let the president defend his record.

"The Telemundo/NBC debate would be widely watched by Hispanic voters, but Biden’s handlers are petrified to allow him to defend his disastrous record," Danielle Alvarez, a campaign spokeswoman, said. "Crooked Joe Biden is too 'cobarde' to address the Hispanic community and answer for his failures on the debate stage!" Earlier this week, the Trump and Biden campaigns bypassed the traditional process run by the Commission on Presidential Debates and agreed to two presidential debates.

CNN will host one in Atlanta on June 27 and ABC News will host another on Sept. 10, the location of which has yet to be determined.

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The Biden campaign also accepted an offer for a vice presidential debate hosted by CBS News, but the Trump campaign has not yet confirmed its participation.

Why It Matters: This development follows a series of events that have shaped the current political landscape. Trump had made an unusual demand, insisting that Biden undergo a drug test ahead of their debates scheduled for June and September. The former president claimed that Biden was under the influence of drugs during his State of the Union address in March.

Furthermore, Biden has been gaining ground against Trump in six pivotal swing states, marking a significant shift in the electoral landscape. This surge for Biden emerged after five months during which Trump consistently led. The momentum shift started following a State of the Union address that not only unified Democrats but also alleviated some concerns regarding Biden’s age.

Now Read: Trump Vs. Biden: Poll Shows One Candidate Holding Slim Advantage Over Another In Hypothetical Matchup

This content was partially produced with the help of Benzinga Neuro and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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