Former President Donald Trump’s campaign has urged the Commission on Presidential Debates to schedule this year’s general election debates much earlier and to include additional debates in the lineup. In a letter addressed to the commission, Trump’s campaign managers Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita emphasized the necessity for an earlier start to the debates, citing the trend of earlier voting in recent elections.
The Role of Presidential Debates
The campaign stressed the importance of allowing more Americans to witness the candidates in debate before they begin casting their votes. Wiles and LaCivita reiterated Trump’s willingness to participate in debates at any time and place, urging for immediate action to kickstart the debate schedule.
The current plan sets the first presidential debate for September 16 in San Marcos, Texas, 50 days before Election Day. This proposed timeline would be earlier than previous elections, such as 2020 when the first debate occurred 35 days before Election Day.
The Trump campaign’s call for earlier debates follows a joint effort by major US television networks, including CNN, urging both Trump and presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden to commit to participating in televised debates before the 2024 election. The Republican National Committee (RNC) echoed concerns about the timing of debates, emphasizing that scheduling debates after millions of Americans have voted undermines the democratic process. While Biden has not publicly committed to debating Trump, he has left the possibility open, contingent upon Trump’s conduct.
