Trump reportedly 'irked' that Biden provoked him into a debate

Donald Trump is reportedly ‘irked’ after Joe Biden challenged him to a pair of debates later this year, with insiders said to be concerned that the president “took over the debate narrative”.

The pair will now meet for a pair of debates proposed by Biden, one in June and another in October, after Biden mocked Trump’s ongoing criminal trial in New York and threw down the challenge to debate him in a video on Wednesday (May 15).

Now, CNN journalist Kristen Holmes has spoken about the situation in the Trump camp, having spoken to insiders close to the former president.

It comes after Trump has been poking fun at Biden during his rallies, attempting to claim that Biden was unwilling to debate him. However, this move to call the debates ends that line of criticism.

“Talking to Trump’s senior advisers and those in his orbit, they’re a little bit irked,” Holmes said.

Holmes also spoke about a third debate which had been proposed by Trump.

“After we saw this announcement from Biden, after Donald Trump had accepted these two debates, [Trump] then got on Truth Social to say he was going to accept a third debate at Fox on Oct. 2.”

Biden’s campaign responded by saying: “No more games. No more chaos, no more debate about debates.”

Speaking in the new video, Biden claimed that Trump had lost both of the debates participated in during the 2020 election cycle.

He also pointed out that Trump hasn't shown up for a single debate during the 2024 Republican primary.

“Now he’s acting like he wants to debate me again? Make my day, pal — I’ll even do it twice,” he said. “So let’s pick the date!”

Joking about Trump’s trial, which takes a break on Wednesdays, Biden said that he heard the former president “is free on Wednesdays”.

Trump is currently facing 34 felony charges issued by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. These relate to claims that he falsified business records in order to conceal 'hush money' payments he made to porn star Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential election.

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