Donald Trump threatens to drop out of the ABC debate over use of hot mics

Former President Donald Trump has hinted that he may skip ABC News’ Sept. 10 debate, accusing the network of hosting “Trump haters” while simultaneously trying to erode Kamala Harris’ new lead in the polls.

Trump slammed the network in a message on Truth Social after 10 p.m. Sunday night, giving the network bad reviews for its weekend programming before making the threat.

“I watched ABC FAKE NEWS this morning, the ridiculous and biased interview of the lighthearted reporter Jonathan Carl (K?) with Tom Cotton (who was fantastic!) and their so-called Panel of Trump Haters, and I’m wondering why I would do the debate against Kamala Harris on that network?” he wrote.

He referenced the network’s Jonathan Karl, who interviewed Trump in the White House during his presidency.

He then addressed members of the network’s “This Week” panel, including Donna Brazil, a DNC member who parted ways with CNN after hacked emails posted to WikiLeaks in 2016 exposed her questions about the shipping debate to Hillary Clinton’s camp.

“Will panelist Donna Brazil ask the Marxist candidate the questions she did for Crooked Hillary Clinton? Will Kamala’s best friend who runs ABC do the same? Where is Liddle’ George Slopadopolo now? Will he be involved? They have a lot of questions to answer!!! Why did Harris turn down Fox, NBC, CBS and even CNN? Stay tuned!!!” Trump wrote.

Former President Donald Trump took aim at ABC News in an online post on Sunday, asking why he should have a debate with Kamala Harris on the network

Stephanpoulos apologized in July after he was captured on video talking to a passerby about President Joe Biden. “I don’t think he can serve another four years,” the host said, days before Biden decided to drop out of the race.

Trump was at it again, performing at a mall full of Vietnamese shops and restaurants in Falls Church, Virginia.

“I think it’s a disgrace, and I think ABC is a disgrace,” Trump said. “I think Donna Brazile is on that panel, she’s the one who gave the answers and questions to Hillary Clinton for a debate. I think ABC really should be shut out. I would much rather do it on NBC. I would much rather do it on CBS, frankly, I think CBS is very unfair, but the best of the bunch, and I would certainly do it on Fox. I would even do it on CNN,” Trump said.

He again complained about the ABC roundtable, saying the “hostility is insane.” Trump called Harris a “sucker.”

The two sides continue to negotiate the terms of the upcoming debate, the only thing both sides agree on.

Harris’ adviser Brian Fallon said both candidates’ microphones should remain on during the broadcast.

“We believe Trump’s handlers prefer the microphone muted because they don’t believe their candidate can play presidential by himself for 90 minutes,” he said in a statement. The Trump camp, meanwhile, says Harris wants a seated debate, with room for notes and opening statements.

The Harris camp disputes this. “All three parties (Trump, Harris and ABC) have agreed to a nomination and no endorsements, and we have never tried otherwise,” Fallon said.

Trump was furious about an interview Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) gave on ABC on Sunday, alleging the network was biased

Trump lashed out at ABC’s Jonathan Karl for his handling of a recent interview, called Vice President Kamala Harris a “dummy” and said he would “probably” prefer the microphones to remain on while the rival candidate is speaking in the debate.

Trump said he would “probably” prefer to see the microphones remain “hot,” but also said “I think it should be the same,” meaning that the pre-negotiated rules should remain in place without “hot” microphones.

Whatever Trump’s criticism of the network, he may feel pressured to appear. Trump’s June 27 contest with Biden set off a cascade of events that forced the 81-year-old president to end his campaign.

And next month, he’ll confront a Harris campaign in flux after her convention and another fundraising haul. Harris has also flipped the race in “Blue Wall” battleground states, while the race has evened out in others. Wisconsin and Pennsylvania have moved to “Democratic-leaning,” according to the latest NPR analysis out Monday, while Nevada, Arizona and North Carolina have moved to “tossup” status.

Karl clashed with Republican Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas on Sunday’s “This Week” after he criticized Kamala Harris for her past support for Medicare-for-all.

Cotton compared it to “eliminating workplace health insurance for 170 million Americans.”

“What do you mean, abolish health insurance? What are you talking about?” Karl shot back.

“I mean, that’s not her position now,” Karl continued. Harris has since retracted her position from the 2020 primary and is now aligned with the Biden administration on health care policy.

“How do you know that’s not her position now?” Cotton countered.

Trump has threatened to sit out of debates in the past, including earlier this month when he threatened to sit out the ABC debate because he preferred an earlier debate on Fox, which Harris did not agree to.

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