Trump rejects Harris call for second debate, saying ‘it’s too late’

Kamala Harris has accepted an invitation from CNN to participate in another debate with Donald Trump, on 23 October, her campaign said on Saturday.

"Donald Trump should have no problem agreeing to this debate. It is the same format and setup as the CNN debate he attended and said he won in June, when he praised CNN's moderators, rules and ratings," the Harris campaign chair, Jen O'Malley Dillon, said in a statement.

"I will gladly accept a second presidential debate on October 23," Harris later posted on X. "I hope Donald Trump will join me."

Trump debated Joe Biden in June when the US president was still running for re-election. Biden performed so badly that he ended up dropping out of the race in July, and Harris, his vice-president, ascended to the nomination.

Asked about Harris's acceptance of the CNN invitation, a Trump spokesperson pointed to the former president's prior statements that there would be no more debates.

Shortly afterwards, Trump spoke at a rally in Wilmington, North Carolina, and said that Harris only wants a rematch because she is losing.

"She's done one debate, I've done two. It's too late to do another, I'd love to in many ways but it's too late, the voting is cast, the voters are out there, immediately - is everybody voting, please? Get out and vote," Trump said.