Trump again challenges "criminal" Joe Biden to debate
Palm Beach, Florida - Presidential candidate Donald Trump is ramping up attacks against his Democratic rival, Joe Biden, and is once again demanding they participate in a debate.
In a series of videos shared to his Truth Social platform on Wednesday, Trump slammed Biden for "weaponizing" the government against him and for taking him to court "on bulls**t."
"At what point are the actions of a sitting president using lawfare and weaponization against his opponent for purposes of election interference considered illegal?" Trump said in one clip.
"I believe, as do various highly respected legal scholars, that Crooked Joe Biden has long since crossed over that very sacred threshold," he continued.
"He is a criminal. He is a horrible president."
In another video, Trump again called on Biden to debate him.
"It's time for Crooked Joe Biden, the worst president in the history of the United States, and I to debate. We have to talk about what he's doing and where we're going.
"We owe it to all Americans," he added. "Anytime, anywhere, any place."
Will a debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden ever happen?
Presidential debates have been a staple of American politics since 1976, but for the first time, the possibility of the two nominees facing off feels uncertain.
Neither Trump nor Biden participated in debates during their primary races, and both candidates have faced criticisms about their age and their mental acuity.
Trump has repeatedly called on Biden to debate him. Most recently, the former president made the baseless claim that Biden uses cocaine to perform better publicly and said he would only debate him if he is drug tested beforehand.
Biden hasn't ruled out the challenge, recently telling reporters, "It depends on his behavior."
With November 5 quickly approaching, Americans and the media are pinning for the two to hit the debate stage.
According to The New York Times, five major broadcast and cable news networks – ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC, and Fox News – are working together on an open letter that will urge both candidates to "publicly commit to participating in general election debates."
The letter has yet to be released publicly as the networks seek other organizations to endorse the idea.
Cover photo: Collage: Kevin Dietsch / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP & ALMOND NGAN / AFP