Biden Pokes Fun at Trump’s Trial as He Challenges Him to Debate: "Hear You’re Free on Wednesdays"

Teasing Donald Trump about his ongoing contentious hush-money/election interference criminal trial, President Joe Biden challenged his Republican opponent to a presidential debate. In a video uploaded to X, Biden made fun of Trump. “Donald Trump lost two debates to me in 2020 and since then he hasn’t shown up to debate. Now he’s acting like he wants to debate me again. Well, make my day, pal – I’ll even do it twice,” Biden mocked, referring to their two scorching debates during the pandemic—including one in Cleveland that resulted in a COVID outbreak, per Independent.

Poking fun at Trump's trial, Biden added, “I hear you’re free on Wednesdays,” alluding to Trump's day off from his hush money trial in New York City. Trump, stuck in multiple legal dilemmas at the moment, has not been able to campaign as hard as he did in past elections. Trump declined to take part in the second presidential debate in 2020 after the commission stated that it would be conducted virtually because of COVID-19 concerns, per HuffPost.

Trump also did not attend any of the GOP primary debates held this year. In 2020, he and Biden engaged in two debates: one in late September and the other almost a month later. Despite Biden's declaration last month that he is "happy to" debate Trump, Trump has been making fun of Biden and claiming that he is supposedly terrified to do so, per CNN.

Biden and Trump continued trading barbs on social media on May 15, with Biden saying that he had accepted CNN's offer to debate on June 27 just hours after posting the mocking video on X. He tweeted, “Over to you, Donald,” and reminded Trump of his own desire to debate “anywhere, any time, any place.” In a post on Truth Social, Trump welcomed the invitation and blasted Biden, calling him the “WORST debater I have ever faced,” suggesting more than two debates, and saying, “Let’s get ready to Rumble!!!”

Trump also said he had accepted an offer from Fox News Digital and that he was “looking forward to being in beautiful Atlanta.” Biden stated in a post on X that the campaign staff for both Trump and him had also decided to hold a second debate on September 10 with ABC serving as the host. “Trump says he’ll arrange his own transportation. I’ll bring my plane, too. I plan on keeping it for another four years,” he wrote, mocking Trump again.

Informal discussions concerning debates between the Biden and Trump campaigns have occurred in recent weeks. According to three people familiar with the talks, the conversations centered mostly on a shared contempt for the Commission on Presidential Debates and possible ways to circumvent the commission. According to reports, the Biden team has also requested a vice presidential debate in July, after the Republican Party's June announcement of their vice nominee.