Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley has issued a challenge to former President Donald Trump, stating that she will only participate in upcoming debates if Trump or Joe Biden shares the stage with her. Haley, who finished in third place in the Iowa caucuses on Monday night, expressed frustration that Trump had not participated in any of the previous five debates in the campaign.
“We’ve had five great debates in this campaign. Unfortunately, Donald Trump has ducked all of them,” Haley said in a statement. “The next debate I do will either be with Donald Trump or with Joe Biden. I look forward to it.”
Debate Schedule and Response from Other Candidates
The next debates are scheduled to take place before the New Hampshire primary on January 23, with ABC News hosting one on Thursday and CNN hosting another on Sunday. While Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who secured second place in the Iowa caucuses, has accepted the invite to the CNN debate, Trump has already scheduled a New Hampshire rally for Sunday.
DeSantis responded to Haley’s challenge, accusing her of avoiding tough questions and running to be Trump’s vice president. He stated on social media, “I won’t snub New Hampshire voters like both Nikki Haley and Donald Trump, and plan to honor my commitments. I look forward to debating two empty podiums in the Granite State this week.”
Haley Declares Two-Person Race After Iowa
Despite finishing in third place in Iowa, Haley asserted on Monday night that her close result had turned the Republican primary into a two-person race between her and Trump. The statement sets the stage for a potential showdown between Haley and Trump in the upcoming debates.
ABC News and CNN, the hosts of the upcoming debates, have not responded to requests for comment regarding Haley’s challenge to Trump.
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