Biden says he plans to debate Trump

(Patria) - U.S. President Joe Biden said on Friday he would participate in a debate with Donald Trump, his Republican opponent in the November election, Reuters reported.

"I am, somewhere. I don't know when," the Democratic president said in an interview. "I'm happy to debate him."

These were Biden's clearest words to date on the prospects of a presidential debate. Biden had not previously committed to debating Trump, saying last month that it would depend on the former president's behavior.

Trump, who refused to debate his rivals before winning the Republican race
last month, has in recent weeks challenged Biden to engage in a one-on-one battle with him, offering to debate "anytime, anywhere, anyplace."

Earlier this month, a Trump campaign advisor sent a letter to the independent commission that normally organizes such events, calling for an accelerated debate schedule, asking for more than the usual three and starting them earlier in the campaign cycle.

A dozen leading U.S. news organizations have also called on the candidates to debate. Their statement suggested that debates for the current race are sponsored by the non-partisan Commission on Presidential Debates, as they have been for every election cycle since 1988.

The Biden camp is concerned that Trump, when he appears on stage, will not adhere to the rules set by the Commission, and some Biden advisors say they would prefer not to elevate Trump by putting him on the same stage as the Democrat.

Biden has a lead among registered voters of 41% to 37% over Trump, a Reuters/Ipsos poll showed earlier this month.

Asked during a trip to Las Vegas in early February about Trump calling on Biden to
debate him, the Democrat said, "If I were him, I'd want to debate myself too. He has nothing else to do."

Biden and Trump faced each other in two televised debates during the 2020 campaign.