US Presidential election: Donald Trump seeks debate with Joe Biden immediately

Former president Donald Trump, who has refused to debate any of his rivals for the Republican nomination, says he wanted to debate US President Joe Biden immediately.

“I’d like to debate him now because we should debate. We should debate for the good of the country,” Mr Trump said on a radio show hosted by conservative commentator Dan Bongino.

When asked by reporters during a trip to Las Vegas on Monday about Mr Trump calling for a debate, Mr Biden, a Democrat, said: “If I were him, I would want to debate me too. He’s got nothing to do.”

Although the overwhelming frontrunner in the Republican race to challenge Biden in the November 5 election, Mr Trump has yet to sew up the nomination and has turned down Republican rival Nikki Haley’s request that he debate her.

In response to Mr Trump’s comments, Ms Haley’s campaign said in a statement that he was “too chicken” to debate her.

“Now it’s time for Trump to man up and agree to debate Nikki Haley. Nikki is ready to put her conservative record and vision for a strong and proud America up against Trump’s campaign of chaos and vendettas,” Haley campaign spokesperson Olivia Perez-Cubas said.

Mr Trump’s comments reflect a desire to focus on a likely election match-up with Mr Biden, who on Saturday won the South Carolina Democratic primary and is expected to win his party’s nomination.

Ms Haley, a former South Carolina governor and United Nations ambassador under Mr Trump, is running a distant second to Mr Trump in opinion polls but has vowed to go on challenging him for the nomination.

Mr Trump and Mr Biden debated twice during the 2020 race. A third debate was canceled after Mr Trump tested positive for COVID-19 and declined to participate in a virtual event. Traditionally, there are three presidential debates.