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CNN Tells Trump: Show Up or Shut Up on Presidential Debate

The network imposed a deadline for both presidential candidates to commit to a debate. The Harris campaign has already accepted it.

CNN won’t let Donald Trump’s will-he-or-won’t-he game over a second presidential debate last much longer. The network on Tuesday gave both presidential campaigns until noon on Thursday to decide whether they will participate in its planned Oct. 23 debate. “CNN sent invitations on September 21 to both Vice President Harris and former President Trump’s campaigns to participate in a CNN debate this fall as we believe the American people would benefit from a second debate between the two candidates for President of the United States,” the network said in a statement. “With less than 30 days to Election Day, we are placing a deadline for a formal response from both campaigns.” The deadline provides the network with the logistical runway to produce the debate, which it proposed hosting at the same Atlanta studio where Trump and President Joe Biden squared off in June. Kamala Harris’ campaign reaffirmed its commitment to the Oct. 23 debate, which it agreed to last month, in a tweet on Tuesday. Trump has said it was too late in the presidential cycle to debate, though he has still expressed an openness to it.