Former US President Donald Trump, pictured on his way to a Manhattan defamation trial on the eve of the New Hampshire primary, has spent much of the campaign in court
Former US President Donald Trump, pictured on his way to a Manhattan defamation trial on the eve of the New Hampshire primary, has spent much of the campaign in court AFP

KEY POINTS

  • Donald Trump said on "The Dan Bongino Show" that he would like to have a debate with the president
  • Trump refused to participate in any of the Republican presidential primary debates this election season
  • The GOP primary frontrunner has also paid no heed to debate requests from fellow Republican contender Nikki Haley

Former President Donald Trump challenged President Joe Biden to a debate "now" for the "good of the country" as the two remain the top contenders in being their respective parties' presidential nominees.

Trump has refused to participate in any of the Republican presidential primary debates this election season but said he would like to debate rival Biden during a radio interview on "The Dan Bongino Show."

"I'd like to debate him now because we should debate. We should debate for the good of the country," the GOP primary front-runner said.

Following the interview, Biden was asked by reporters during a trip to Las Vegas on Monday about Trump calling for a debate with him.

"Well, if I were him, I'd want to debate me too," Biden said.

"He's got nothing else to do," the president added.

Trump has also not paid heed to requests for a debate from his GOP rival and presidential hopeful Nikki Haley, who remains the last hurdle standing in the way of the former president becoming the Republican nominee.

The ex-president is "too chicken" to debate her, said Haley's campaign spokesperson Olivia Perez-Cubas added.

"Now it's time for Trump to man up and agree to debate Nikki Haley. Nikki is ready to put her conservative record and vision for a strong and proud America up against Trump's campaign of chaos and vendettas," Perez-Cubas said.

In a December interview with radio host Hugh Hewitt, Trump said he would "look forward" to debating Biden.

"How about 10 debates?" Trump told Hewitt, who pointed out during the interview that the Republican National Committee (RNC) decided in 2022 to withdraw from presidential debates that were arranged by the Commission on Presidential Debates.

The Commission on Presidential Debates is considered as a nonpartisan body, comprising of members from both parties.

Trump and other Republicans have been staunch criticizers of the organization.

"They're totally corrupt. They're totally Democrat-leaning — that's being nice when I use the word leaning. They are totally corrupt, and they're terrible," Trump said. "With that being said, I would do 20 debates, even if it was organized by them. I'll do as many debates as they want. I'd do a debate every night with this guy. But he'll never show up to a debate."

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