Skip to content
Search
Human content, AI powered search.

Latest Stories

What We're Watching

Trump now wants to debate

Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally held with Republican vice presidential nominee Senator JD Vance, in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S., August 3, 2024.

Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally held with Republican vice presidential nominee Senator JD Vance, in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S., August 3, 2024.

REUTERS/Umit Bektas
Willis Sparks
By Willis SparksAugust 08, 2024
Willis Sparks
Willis Sparks is a senior editor for GZERO Daily. He is also a Director in the Global Macro practice at Eurasia Group, where he has worked since 2005. He has made speeches on international politics on every continent except Antarctica. Willis holds degrees from Brown University, the Juilliard School, Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs, and the Institut d'Etudes Politiques in Paris. He also holds an honorary degree from the Moscow Art Theatre School. A native of Macon, Georgia, Willis has worked as a stuntman at New York's Metropolitan Opera. As a child, he declined an opportunity to spend an afternoon riding the Great American Scream Machine, a rollercoaster, with Ronald McDonald, for money. He has never regretted that decision.
See Full Bio

Just as the US presidential race has shifted from a Donald Trump advantage over Joe Biden to a toss-up against Kamala Harris, the former president’s debate strategy has also shifted.

Trump was eager to debate Biden on any TV network with any ground rules — for reasons that became clear when the president delivered the June 27 debate performance that ultimately ended his campaign. When Harris became his new opponent, Trump felt he was winning and had no incentive to debate. Harris insisted that Trump honor the commitment he made (to Biden) to appear at a Sept. 10 debate to be aired by ABC and threatened to show up and use the time to make a live televised speech if the GOP nominee was a no-show. Trump refused and then challenged her to debate him on Fox News before a live audience instead.

Now that the Harris campaign is surging in both national and swing-state polls, it appears Trump’s calculus has changed again.

“We’ll be debating her, I guess, in the pretty near future,” he told Fox News on Wednesday. “It’s going to be announced fairly soon, but we’ll be debating her.” The next day he told reporters that he agreed to debate Harris on Fox on Sept. 4, ABC on Sept. 10, and NBC on Sept 25. ABC has confirmed that both candidates have agreed to attend, and Harris has said she’s “looking forward” to Sept. 10. Her campaign hasn’t yet commented on the other proposed events.

donald trump

Latest Videos

Epstein and America’s two-tier justice systemplay icon
ask ian

Epstein and America’s two-tier justice system

Why Singapore sees AI as an opportunity, not a threat
GZERO World Clips

Why Singapore sees AI as an opportunity, not a threat

Trump’s next move in Iran
Quick Take

Trump’s next move in Iran

How Singapore navigates a fragmented world
GZERO World with Ian Bremmer

How Singapore navigates a fragmented world

Singapore thrived on globalization. Now what?
Ian Explains

Singapore thrived on globalization. Now what?

Greenland, tariffs, and the transatlantic relationship
GZERO Europe

Greenland, tariffs, and the transatlantic relationship

More For You

What We’re Watching: The Groundhog Day of Ukraine peace talks, Colombia fares well at White House, South African ruling coalition faces stability test

​Workers repair a pipe at a compound of Darnytsia Thermal Power Plant which was heavily damaged by recent Russian missile and drone strikes, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine February 4, 2026.

Workers repair a pipe at a compound of Darnytsia Thermal Power Plant which was heavily damaged by recent Russian missile and drone strikes, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine February 4, 2026.

REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko
The leader of South Africa’s second-largest party to stand downDemocratic Alliance leader John Steenhuisen announced Wednesday that he will not run for a third term as leader of the liberal, pro-business party, after months of internal pressure over a host of controversies – including allegations, since cleared, that he used the party credit card [...]

What We’re Watching: Trump and Modi make up, Turkey’s Erdogan goes to Riyadh, A step toward peace in the DRC

​US President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the White House in Washington, D.C., USA, on Feb. 13, 2025.

US President Donald Trump welcomes Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the White House in Washington, D.C., USA, for bilateral discussions about trade and security on Feb. 13, 2025.

India PM Office handout via EYEPRESS
Modi and Trump finally make upAfter months of simmering tensions, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump – two old friends – finally reached an agreement: Washington will drop tariffs on Indian exports from 50% to 18%, and in return, New Delhi will halt Russian oil purchases. Instead, it will buy from the US and possibly [...]

What We’re Watching: US critical minerals summit, Rafah crossing reopens, Border violence in Pakistan

​U.S. President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi hold up signed documents regarding securing the supply of critical minerals and rare earths, at a bilateral meeting at Akasaka Palace in Tokyo, Japan, October 28, 2025.

U.S. President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi hold up signed documents regarding securing the supply of critical minerals and rare earths, at a bilateral meeting at Akasaka Palace in Tokyo, Japan, October 28, 2025.

REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein
Critical mineral deals to be cut in Washington this weekRepresentatives from the European Union, United Kingdom, Japan, and others will meet in Washington this week to discuss a strategic alliance on critical minerals. The aim: decrease reliance on China, which currently controls an average market share around 70%. The Trump administration also [...]

What We’re Watching: US weighs Iran hit, Trump nominates Powell’s successor, Chinese firm can’t operate Panama Canal

​Protesters call for US military intervention in Iran.

Protesters call for US military intervention in Iran.

ZUMA Press Wire
Are US strikes on Iran imminent?US President Donald Trump continued to threaten strikes on Iran, saying Thursday they must do “two things” to avoid a strike: end their nuclear ambitions and stop killing protesters. His message comes as the US is building up its military presence in the Gulf (he made a similar move in the Caribbean ahead of the [...]