NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� Donald Trump seems to be backing away from his earlier commitment to , questioning the value of a meetup and saying he 鈥減robably鈥� will debate but he 鈥渃an also make a case for not doing it鈥� 鈥� prompting her campaign to say he's 鈥渟cared.鈥�
Trump, in an interview with Fox News Channel that aired Monday night, was pressed several times about committing to debating Harris before giving a squishier answer than he had in recent days.
The Republican former president had been willing to when Biden was the Democratic nominee after months of suggesting that the president was not mentally up for the matchup 鈥� or the presidency. But after Biden dropped out of the race and Harris became poised to be the Democratic presidential candidate, Trump has been questioning the terms of the original debate he agreed to with Biden. He has suggested the Sept. 10 debate on ABC News should be moved to a different network, calling ABC 鈥渇ake news.鈥�
Last week, in a phone call with reporters, Trump was asked if he'd commit to debating Harris at least once. He responded: 鈥淥h, yes, absolutely. I'd want to," and he said there was an obligation to debate.
In the interview Monday, host Laura Ingraham repeatedly pressed Trump on whether he would commit to a debate.
"I want to do a debate. But I also can say this. Everybody knows who I am. And now people know who she is," Trump said.
Trump eventually said, 鈥淭he answer is yes, I'll probably end up debating."
He went on for a minute, saying any debates need to be held before early voting starts in states, and then he added, 鈥淭he answer is yes, but I can also make a case for not doing it."
Trump has skipped debates before, including . He initially didn't participate after suggesting the timing was too early and then questioning the venue of another before eventually making it clear he would not participate in any of those debates.
Harris campaign spokesperson Ammar Moussa accused Trump of continuing to dodge a face-off with his likely opponent.
鈥淚t鈥檚 clear from tonight鈥檚 question-dodging: He鈥檚 scared he鈥檒l have to defend or his own calls to end elections in America in a debate against the vice president,鈥� Moussa said.
The Republican candidate also sought in the interview Monday to clarify comments he made last week at a conservative event in which he told an audience of Christians that they 鈥渨on鈥檛 have to vote anymore鈥� after he's elected.
He urged Christians, who he claims don鈥檛 vote in high numbers, to vote 鈥渏ust this time," and said, 鈥淵ou won鈥檛 have to do it anymore.鈥�
In four years, he said: 鈥淚t鈥檒l be fixed, it鈥檒l be fine. You won鈥檛 have to vote anymore, my beautiful Christians."
He added moments later: 鈥淚n four years, you don鈥檛 have to vote again. We鈥檒l have it fixed so good, you鈥檙e not gonna have to vote.鈥�
The comments drew alarm from Democrats and others who noted , his earlier comments that he would only be a dictator on 鈥渄ay one鈥� and his behavior after losing the 2020 presidential election, in which and sought to overturn them.
Trump's campaign and supporters offered various explanations for his comments, and Ingraham prodded him to explain what he meant.
鈥淭hey don't vote, and I鈥檓 explaining that to 'em. 鈥榊ou never vote.鈥� This time, vote. I鈥檒l straighten out the country. You won鈥檛 have to vote anymore. I won't need your vote," Trump said.
Ingraham asked if he meant Christians won't need to vote for him because he will only have four years in office.
Trump started his answer by speaking about voting rates of Christians and gun owners, and Ingraham interrupted to ask him again.
鈥淒on鈥檛 worry about the future. Vote, on, you have to vote on November 5th. After that, you don鈥檛 have to worry about voting anymore. I don鈥檛 care because we're going to fix up 鈥� the country will be fixed and we won鈥檛 even need your vote anymore because, frankly, we will have such love. If you don鈥檛 want to vote anymore, that鈥檚 OK,鈥� Trump said.
Trump made similar comments last month at another Christian-focused event, in which he lamented the voting rates of Christians and implored them to participate in the election.
鈥淚n four years, you don鈥檛 have to vote, OK? In four years, don鈥檛 vote. I don鈥檛 care," he said.
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Associated Press writer Adriana Gomez Lic贸n in West Palm Beach, Fla., contributed to this report.
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Michelle L. Price, The Associated Press
