Trump's proposal for Fox News debate rejected by Harris

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump proposed to debate Democratic US Vice-President Kamala Harris on Fox News on Sept 4, but the Harris campaign countered that Trump was trying to back out of a debate that had been set to run on ABC.

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The rules would be similar to the first debate with President Joe Biden, who has since dropped his reelection bid, Trump said in a post on Truth Social late on Aug 2. But this time it would have a "full arena audience" and take place in the battleground state of Pennsylvania, Trump said.

Trump and Mr Biden had agreed to a second debate on Sept 10 on ABC News which the former president had suggested should be moved to Fox, the most popular network with his followers.

Ms Harris, who on Aug 2 secured the delegate votes needed to clinch the Democratic nomination for the Nov 5 election, said on Aug 3 that she intends to participate in the originally planned debate.

"It's interesting how 'any time, any place' becomes 'one specific time, one specific safe space," she wrote on social media platform X.

"I'll be there on Sept 10, like he agreed to. I hope to see him there." Ms Harris' spokesman Michael Tyler said Trump is "running scared" and that her campaign is happy to discuss further debates after the Sept 10 one that "both campaigns have already agreed to".

On Aug 3, Trump said on Truth Social that Ms Harris is "afraid to do it" and that he will see her on Sept 4, "or, I won't see her at all".