Debate slate: Trump hints he’s changing his mind, and Biden’s challengers turn up the heat

The prospects for the 2024 debate stages are heating up as Democrats looking to snatch the nomination away from President Joe Biden look for ways to present themselves to voters and former President Donald Trump hints he may finally be ready to confront his primary opponents directly.

So far, Trump has declined to participate in the Republican National Committee‘s presidential debates and refused to sign the pledge that he would support the GOP nominee in 2024. The Republican front-runner has repeatedly said his polling numbers show that he doesn’t need to debate his opponents.

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On the Democratic side, Biden has not debated any of his primary challengers or independent opponents. As the likely Democratic presidential nominee, the White House has brushed off calls for the president to debate primary rivals and has not committed to general election debates in 2024.

Trump hints at GOP debate participation

The former president said on Friday during an interview with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt that he is open to a debate if the race comes down to him and one serious challenger after the results of the New Hampshire primary.

Based on recent polling, that candidate is likely former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley. Despite Trump holding a strong lead in most national public polls, New Hampshire polls show Haley, who is in second place, steadily rising and potentially poised to overtake the former president.

“Yeah, I would, if it was very close, I would debate that Republican,” Trump said, emphasizing that he is still “not worried” about Haley, who served in her U.N. role under his administration.

He also has hinted that he would be open to debating Biden in the new year after the primaries.

“Oh, will I look forward to that,” Trump said when asked if he would debate the president if Biden is the Democrats’ nominee. “How about 10 debates?”

The former president said he would “do 20 debates” even if they were hosted by the nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates, an organization that Republicans have long criticized over moderators and fairness.

“They are totally corrupt, and they’re terrible. With that being said, I would do 20 debates, even if it was organized by them. I would do as many debates as they want,” Trump said. “I’d do a debate every night with this guy.”

The RNC voted in August 2022 to withdraw from the commission’s events and required candidates to sign a pledge vowing only to participate in debates sanctioned by the RNC. However, in early December, the RNC released presidential candidates from their pledge, allowing the candidates to compete against each other ahead of important nominating contests in Iowa and New Hampshire in early 2024.

Trump has hinted in the past he would be open to general election debates, telling Fox News host Bret Baier in June that Biden and him have to “definitely debate.”

Democratic opponents line up on debate stage

Though Biden is sidestepping primary debates, that has not stopped his opponents from organizing them. Marianne Williamson announced on Monday that she and Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN) would be having their “first debate” on Jan. 8 in New Hampshire. It will be the first Democratic presidential candidate debate held for the 2024 cycle, sponsored by New England College.

The location of the debate is significant for many reasons, including the fact that Biden will not appear on the New Hampshire primary ballot after the Democratic National Convention booted the state as the first-in-the-nation primary contest for 2024.

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A FiveThirtyEight poll in the state from September showed Biden handily defeating his GOP opponents, including Trump — Biden received 52% compared to Trump’s 40% — as well as Democratic-turned-independent challenger Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Biden plans to appear on the general ballot, so given his steady lead, his absence on the primary ballot may not cost him severely.

Both Phillips and Williamson will appear on the New Hampshire ballot, with Phillips polling higher than Williamson against Biden in most public surveys. If Phillips gains significant traction in New Hampshire, it could be a wake-up call for Biden heading into the other primaries.