Trump to debate Harris on Sept 10, but wants two more match-ups

Polls show Harris has erased the lead Trump had built in race to the White House

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Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and his Democratic opponent Kamala Harris will debate on Sept 10 on ABC, setting up the first face-to-face match-up between the rivals in what polls show is a close race.

In a news conference at his Palm Beach, Florida, residence, Trump said he wanted additional debates on Sept 4 and Sept 25 that would air on Fox and NBC.

Ms Harris said in a post on X that she was looking forward to the Sept 10 debate after Trump "finally committed".

The Vice-President told reporters after a Detroit-area campaign stop that she was open to discussing more debates, but a campaign official reiterated their position that a Sept 4 Fox debate is off the table.

Discussions on future debates depend on Trump's participation in the Sept 10 debate on ABC, the official said.

The Harris campaign had already opposed a Fox debate, saying the host network should be one that sponsored recent primary debates by both parties.

Trump had previously suggested he might back out of the ABC debate, scheduled before Ms Harris replaced President Joe Biden as the Democratic presidential candidate less than three weeks ago, upending the contest.

The Sept 10 debate on ABC was to be the second of two agreed upon between Mr Biden and Trump, following their June 27 debate on CNN.

An Ipsos poll published on Aug 8 found Ms Harris has widened her lead over Trump since late July.

She leads Trump 42 per cent to 37 per cent, compared with a July 22-23 Reuters/Ipsos survey that showed her up with 37 per cent versus Trump's 34 per cent.