President Joe Biden said Friday he would be willing to debate former president Donald Trump, after months of declining to say definitively whether he planned to appear onstage alongside his Republican challenger.
“I am, somewhere. I don’t know when. But I’m happy to debate him,” Biden said when asked during an interview with Sirius XM radio host Howard Stern whether he is willing to debate Trump.
Trump adviser Chris LaCivita responded to Biden’s comments in a post on X: “Ok let’s set it up!”
Biden’s newfound willingness to debate comes after the five major TV news networks and the Associated Press reportedly sent an unprecedented letter to both campaigns earlier this month encouraging them to debate.
“General election debates have a rich tradition in our American democracy, having played a vital role in every presidential election of the past 50 years dating to 1976,” a draft of the letter read. “In each of those elections, tens of millions have tuned in to watch the candidates debating side by side, in a competition of ideas, for the votes of American citizens.”
Biden aides have said they are concerned that the Commission on Presidential Debates will be unable to enforce debate rules with Trump on stage. Though pundits have speculated Biden’s age and affinity for gaffes are likely reasons the president is wary of appearing for a live debate.
Trump, for his part, has repeatedly said he would debate Biden “any place, any time,” after he previously declined to participate in any Republican primary debates.
