"May Not Participate" Trump May Withdraw from TV Debate... Vance Defends 'Cat Lady' Remark

"The answer is yes, but it is also possible not to do so."

Former President Donald Trump, the Republican presidential candidate in the United States, said he would participate in a TV debate with Vice President Kamala Harris but left open the possibility of not attending. He once again labeled Vice President Harris, who has secured the Democratic presidential nomination, as a "radical left lunatic." Regarding the recent controversy over Senator J.D. Vance, his running mate, calling Harris a "childless cat lady," Trump defended the remark as valuing family.

[Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

In an interview with Fox News released on the evening of the 29th (local time), when asked if he would participate in a debate with Vice President Harris, former President Trump said, "I want to debate," but added, "But I can also say this. Everyone knows who I am. And now people also know who she (Harris) is. A radical left lunatic." When the host asked him to debate Harris, he avoided a direct answer, saying, "Wait a minute. But they already know everything."

Claiming he is leading in the polls, former President Trump said, "Maybe we will debate," but also mentioned, "I think the debate should happen before the voting starts." He also added, "I could also claim that I will not debate."

This statement contrasts with his remarks during a call with reporters last week, where he said, "I want to debate her," and disparaged, "They (Biden and Harris) have the same policies, so she won't be much different (after debating me)." Before President Joe Biden announced he would not seek re-election, Trump had agreed to participate in the second TV debate hosted by ABC News on September 10. However, he later insisted the debate should be hosted by the conservative-leaning Fox News and expressed reluctance to debate in September, citing that Vice President Harris had not yet been officially nominated as the presidential candidate. Vice President Harris had pointed out that "(Trump) seems to be backing down."

On the same day, former President Trump defended Senator J.D. Vance, the Republican vice-presidential candidate, who mocked Vice President Harris as a "childless unhappy cat lady," saying, "Vance was simply trying to show how much he values family life." He said, "Vance grew up in a very interesting family environment and loves family," adding, "I don't think there was anything wrong with that remark." The term "cat lady" is a derogatory expression for a single woman who keeps cats. The remark sparked backlash, especially among female voters, and even within the Republican Party, Senator Vance faced criticism.

Additionally, former President Trump took the opportunity to clarify his recent controversial statement that "there will be no need to vote after four years." He said, "I meant vote for me," and noted, "Christian voter turnout is not high." He repeated, "This time, you have to vote. I will fix the country, so your vote will no longer be needed." The remark caused controversy after being made at a conservative Christian group event on the 26th.

However, he did not directly answer a follow-up question asking if he meant there would be no need to vote because the presidential term is four years. Major foreign media outlets assessed that former President Trump failed to clarify. The Harris campaign previously stated in a "statement on the Fox News appearance of a 78-year-old criminal" that what Americans could learn from the interview was that "Trump is old and quite strange" and "he should never be president again."

In addition, former President Trump confirmed in the interview that he would meet with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) regarding the assassination attempt that occurred during his campaign on the 13th. Regarding the portrayal of the Last Supper at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics, he said, "I am a very open person," but also disparaged it, saying, "I made the opening ceremony shameful. Various performances could be staged, but it was terrible."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.