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Fox News asks for debate between Kamala Harris, Donald Trump

From left: Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump.
From left: Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump. (Harris photo by Adam Schultz for the White House; Trump photo by Gage Skidmore)

Executives at Fox News Media have sent letters to campaign representatives for Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump asking for the two presidential candidates to participate in a televised debate in September.

The letters, penned by Fox News Media President and Executive Editor Jay Wallace and Vice President of Politics Jessica Loker, were sent to Trump campaign co-chairpersons Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita and Harris campaign chairperson Jennifer O’Malley Dillon on Tuesday, according to copies of the notes obtained by The Desk.



The requests amend one made earlier this year, in which Fox News sought to host a vice presidential debate between Harris and Trump’s running mate, whom Trump named as Senator J. D. Vance after accepting the Republican nominee for president last week. Harris became the presumed Democratic front-runner for the presidential nominee after incumbent President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the race on Sunday.

“Now that Vice President Harris is the presumed Democratic nominee, Fox News Media is amending our proposal for a debate this cycle,” the letter said. “Given the race has changed, we’d like to request the opportunity to host a Presidential Debate between VP Harris and former President Trump.”



The network has offered to set aside broadcast time on Tuesday, September 17, or one week after ABC News is scheduled to host a previously-arranged presidential debate.

Neither campaign has committed to Fox’s proposal as of late Wednesday evening. However, on Sunday, the New York Times reported Trump was “not thrilled” with the prospect of appearing on ABC News in two months, and suggested a better venue for the debate would be Fox News.



“I haven’t agreed to anything [with Harris],” Trump said on a conference call with Republican Party officials, according to the New York Times. “I agreed to debate with Joe Biden — but, I want to debate her, and she’ll be no different because they have the same policies.”

If the candidates accept Fox’s offer, the network says it believes hosts Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum “are the best choices to moderate.” The duo have hosted Fox News’ special TV coverage of certain events throughout the 2024 presidential race, including the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee and Fox’s simulcast of the CNN Presidential Debate last month.

In its letter to Harris and Trump campaign officials, Fox News included a one-sheet that outlined the networks’ high ratings on cable news, with a specific focus on its political coverage.

Ratings data from Nielsen consistently ranks Fox News as the most-watched cable news channel in the country, well ahead of rivals MSNBC, CNN, Newsmax and NewsNation. It also outpaces the three main broadcast networks — ABC, CBS and NBC — with special election coverage, some of which is simulcast on its sister channel, the Fox Business Network.

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About the Author:

Matthew Keys

Matthew Keys is a nationally-recognized, award-winning journalist who has covered the business of media, technology, radio and television for more than 11 years. He is the publisher of The Desk and contributes to Know Techie, Digital Content Next and StreamTV Insider. He previously worked for Thomson Reuters, the Walt Disney Company, McNaughton Newspapers and Tribune Broadcasting. Connect with Matthew on LinkedIn by clicking or tapping here.
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