President Donald Trump is making clear that he intends to participate in at least three general election debates. But he is threatening to sidestep the nonprofit group charged with running them.
Trump is complaining, without evidence, that the Commission on Presidential Debates is “stacked with Trump Haters & Never Trumpers."
“I look very much forward to debating whoever the lucky person is who stumbles across the finish line in the little watched Do Nothing Democrat Debates,” Trump tweeted Monday. "My record is so good on the Economy and all else, including debating, that perhaps I would consider more than 3 debates."
He incorrectly claimed, according to the Associated Press, that the commission was “forced to publicly apologize for modulating my microphone” in the first 2016 general election debate against Hillary Clinton. The commission acknowledged there were audio issues involving the sound level in the debate hall, but it did not apologize.
"As President, the debates are up to me, and there are many options, including doing them directly & avoiding the nasty politics of this very biased Commission," Trump tweeted, without explaining what he meant by the debates being up to him, or what he meant by "doing them directly." He added he would make a decision "at an appropriate time."
In a statement, the commission said it has conducted 30 general election presidential and vice presidential debates since 1988 and that its record “is one of fairness, balance and non-partisanship.”
The presidential debates are scheduled for September 29, October 15 and October 22. The lone Vice-Presidential debate is September 15.