Trump has previously skipped the debates, including all 2024 Republican presidential primary debates.

Palm Beach, Fla.: Former US President and 2024 Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said on Thursday that he is proposing three presidential debates with three television networks. He said he had agreed to some dates in September, while acknowledging that Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign had not yet agreed to those terms.

Trump, holding a press conference at his Florida beachside compound, hinted at a deal with Fox News, ABC News and NBC News. It was Harris' first public appearance since becoming the Democratic presidential nominee and choosing Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as his running mate.

“I think it's very important to have a debate,” Trump said. “I'm looking forward to the debates because I think we want to set the record straight.”

The Harris campaign had no immediate comment.

Earlier this week, after pulling out of President Joe Biden's re-election campaign, Trump hinted at an upcoming announcement regarding the presidential debate after pulling out of an ABC News-hosted debate on September 10. Trump has expressed a preference for Fox News to sponsor the debate but on Wednesday indicated an openness to reconsidering ABC.

Trump reiterated criticism of his running mate, Ohio Senator JD Vance, about Harris not holding news conferences or interviews since Biden withdrew last month and entering the race.

While Harris carries a passenger press pool on all trips aboard Air Force Two, Trump does not maintain a regular passenger press pool for his campaign trips.

Vance was accompanied by reporters and campaigned this week in states where Harris and Walz have scheduled events. It happened Wednesday when Vance's plane and Air Force Two were both on the same tarmac in Wisconsin. Vance began walking toward the Democrats' plane but did not arrive before a motorcade that included Harris, Walz, and the traveling press.

Donald Trump's ABC actions cast doubt on the possibility of the candidates meeting on stage before the November election.

Trump had posted a sequence on the Truth social platform saying his commitment to a September 10 debate on ABC had been cancelled, citing the end of Democratic President Joe Biden's campaign after a poor showing in their opening debate. In a subsequent Truth Social post, Trump said of Harris, “I'll see her on September 4th or I won't see her at all.”

Trump has previously skipped the debates, including all 2024 Republican presidential primary debates.

(with AP input)