The debate over debates seems to be over—at least for now—as Donald Trump declared on Truth Social, “THERE WILL BE NO THIRD DEBATE!”
In a post on Thursday, Trump criticized the Biden-Harris administration on border issues and highlighted polls that he claimed “clearly show that [Trump] I won the debate.” He concluded with: “KAMALA SHOULD FOCUS ON WHAT SHE SHOULD HAVE DONE DURING THE LAST ALMOST FOUR YEAR PERIOD. THERE WILL BE NO THIRD DEBATE!”
The post followed the second debate, but the first one with Kamala Harris. Despite an earlier agreement to hold another, a third debate now seems unlikely.
According to The New York Times, while Trump praised his own performance after the debate, his aides privately admitted that it was a rough outing compared to his more controlled appearance against Biden. In an article titled “Trump Says He Had a Great Debate. His Allies Privately Say Otherwise,” the report highlighted internal disagreements.
Trump insists there won’t be a third debate, claiming victory in the first one. However, his critics, including some on the other side, disagree. After the debate, Trump posted on Truth Social: “That was my best debate EVER, especially since it was THREE ON ONE!”
Trump has also criticized debate moderators David Muir and Lindsay Davis of ABC News for alleged bias—a sentiment echoed by many Republicans. However, Trump-endorser Robert F. Kennedy Jr. took a different stance, saying in a Fox News interview: “Vice President Harris clearly won the debate in terms of her delivery, polish, organization, and preparation,” while conceding that Trump won on “substance.”