"Let's get ready to Rumble!!!" former President Donald Trump posted on his Truth Social on Wednesday morning after accepting President Joe Biden's challenge to a debate.
Biden and Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, are slated to have their first presidential debate of the 2024 cycle on June 27. The debate will be the third time they have faced off, having debated twice during the 2020 presidential campaign. A second is slated for September 10.
While many Republicans tout Trump's debating skills and are excited about the rematch, some are warning him not to underestimate Biden.
Newsweek has reached out to the Trump and Biden campaigns for comment.
The debate announcement comes at a time when polls are tight, with the latest New York Times, Philadelphia Inquirer and Siena polls showing Trump leading in five swing states: Pennsylvania, Arizona, Michigan, Georgia and Nevada. Biden's polling in those states is within the margin of error.
According to a Pew Research poll in April, 62 percent of Americans disapprove of Biden's job performance. Meanwhile, Trump is in a criminal hush money trial and faces four criminal cases.
Fox News contributor and Townhall.com editor Katie Pavlich posted on X, formerly Twitter, on Wednesday morning: "Biden should not be underestimated at the debates."
Bill Mitchell, CEO of YourVoice Studios whose X bio says he's "endorsing Trump because we MUST beat Biden at all costs!" posted on X: "Don't underestimate Biden in a debate. He'll be hopped up on speed like the SOTU."
The post is in reference to Biden's State of the Union address, which received a positive reaction from Americans after a CNN poll found that 62 percent of viewers said the president's proposed policies would move the country in the right direction.
Historian Larry Schweikart posted on X: "1) I CAUTION EVERYONE--and would tell Team Trump the same thing: DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE the demon living inside the Rutabaga shell," referring to Biden, and "2) many (including Rush Limbaugh, who didn't think Biden could even win the nomination, and myself) underestimated him in 2020."
In a Truth Social post Wednesday morning, Trump wrote that Biden is "the WORST debater I have ever faced – He can't put two sentences together!" He also claimed that Biden is the "WORST President in the history of the United States, by far."
Laura Loomer, host of Loomer Unleashed on Rumble, posted a screenshot of Trump's Truth Social post on X with the caption: "This debate will likely redefine the word 'bloodbath' in the dictionary," adding in part that "Donald Trump is going to trounce sleepy Joe."
In an X repost of Biden's video challenging Trump to a debate, Joey Meugniot a self-described "conservative populist" and "political strategist," said Biden "can't even read from a teleprompter without screwing up...This [the debate] will be the comedy event of 2024."
In a similar attack against Biden, podcast host Dinesh D'Souza reposted Biden's video on X with the caption: "This [Biden] is the guy who read 'pause' a few days ago off his teleprompter."
In an X post regarding the second debate on September 10, Biden wrote: "Trump says he'll arrange his own transportation. I'll bring my plane, too. I plan on keeping it for another four years."
In his initial video challenging Trump, Biden inserted a jab at the former president, saying: "So let's pick the dates, Donald. I heard you're free on Wednesdays," in reference to the day there are no court proceedings in Trump's criminal hush money case in New York City.
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Mandy Taheri is a Newsweek reporter based in Connecticut and Brooklyn. She joined Newsweek as a reporter in 2024. She ... Read more
