During a rally in Bozeman, Montana, Donald Trump expressed some regret about debating President Joe Biden, asking, “Why the hell did I debate him?” However, he later claimed that he believes Kamala Harris would be “easier to beat” in the upcoming election.
The first debate between Trump and Biden took place in Atlanta, Georgia, on June 27, where Biden struggled at times to articulate his thoughts, raising questions about his age and mental sharpness at 81. Following the debate, several prominent Democrats, including actor George Clooney, called for Biden to step aside in the 2024 race. He ultimately withdrew on July 21, endorsing Vice President Harris.
Since Biden’s exit, Harris has quickly positioned herself as the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination, even polling ahead of Trump in numerous surveys and becoming the favorite among betting agencies for the 2024 election.
At his Montana rally, Trump remarked, “We’re going to get Joe Biden out of the White House. What’s he doing there now?… You know he wanted to debate. If we didn’t have a debate, he’d still be there. Can you imagine? Why the hell did I debate him?”
He continued, questioning Biden’s happiness following the debate: “How did he do? Do you think he’s happy? I don’t think so. They took it away from him, they really did. The guy had 14 million votes. She had none, but I’d rather run against her. I think she’s easier to beat, I really do.”
Andrew Harnik/GETTY
Trump’s rally in Montana was one of just two he has conducted in August, while Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, have been campaigning in various states, including Pennsylvania and Arizona, with another rally scheduled in Nevada.
At a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, Trump stated he hasn’t held many public events lately because he is “leading a lot” and wants to see the outcome of the Democratic National Convention on August 22. He emphasized his extensive radio and television engagements during this time.
When asked about his limited campaigning, Trump replied, “Because I’m leading by a lot and because I’m letting their convention go through. I’m doing tremendous amounts of taping here—we have commercials at a level that I don’t think anyone’s ever done before.”
He added, “I see many of you in the room where I’m speaking to you on phones, I’m speaking to radio, I’m speaking to television. Television’s coming over here. Excuse me, what are we doing right now?”