Donald Trump seized on President Joe Biden‘s statement that he would be ‘happy’ to debate – offering to meet his rival immediately at the courthouse or the White House.
‘He can do it anytime he wants including tonight. I’m ready. Here we are. I invited him to the courthouse,’ Trump said Friday afternoon.
Trump indicated he was willing to be flexible on the venue and the timing, although day-long court sessions scheduled for most of the week limit his options.
‘I just want to say that I’ve invited Biden to debate,’ he said in Manhattan criminal court at the end of a day that featured testimony by ex-National Enquirer publisher David Pecker and longtime Trump Organization aid Rhona Graff.
‘He can do it any time he wants including tonight. Ready, where we are. I invited him to the courthouse,’ Trump said, touting a venue he had blasted earlier for its ‘freezing’ temperatures.
‘But we’re willing to do it Monday night, Tuesday night, Wednesday night, Thursday night or Friday night on national television. We’re ready. Just tell me where,’ he said.
‘We’ll do it at the White House – that would be very comfortable actually!’ he joked.
An immediate presidential debate could cause logistical problems on stage and at home. Not only is there no venue or moderator set up, but Trump started the day wishing happy birthday to wife Melania, who he said was at home at Mar-a-Lago. He said he had plans to return there Friday.
Trump spoke hours after Biden finally confirmed he is ready to debate.
The 81-year-old confirmed he is ‘happy’ to take the stage with his 77-year-old rival in a softball interview with Howard Stern on Friday morning.
The White House and Biden-Harris campaign have danced around questions about the debate for months.
‘I am, somewhere,’ he said when asked if he is willing to debate Trump.
‘I don’t know when. I’m happy to debate him.’
