THE WORLD TODAY

Trumps vows not to take part in virtual debate

PRESIDENT Donald Trump has vowed not to participate in next week’s debate with Democratic nominee Joe Biden. It comes after organisers announced it will take place virtually because of the president’s diagnosis of Covid- 19.

“I’m not going to do a virtual debate” with Biden, Trump told Fox News, moments after the Commission on Presidential Debates announced the changes.

That cast serious doubts on whether the event will go forward, even as Biden’s campaign vowed that its candidate will participate. “Vice- president Biden looks forward to speaking directly to the American people,” deputy Biden campaign manager Kate Bedingfield said in a statement.

The non- partisan Commission on Presidential Debates cited a need “to protect the health and safety of all involved with the second presidential debate”.

The candidates will “participate from separate remote locations” while the participants and moderator remain in Miami, it said.

The announcement came a week before Biden and Trump were scheduled to face off in Miami. The president was diagnosed with the virus a week ago and on Tuesday tweeted that he was looking forward to debating Biden on stage in Miami

Biden, for his part, said he and Trump “shouldn’t have a debate” as long as the president remains Covid- 19 positive. Biden told reporters in Pennsylvania that he was “looking forward to being able to debate him” but said “we’re going to have to follow very strict guidelines”.

Trump fell ill with the virus last Thursday, just 48 hours after debating Biden in person for the first time in Cleveland.