Summary
Donald Trump and Kamala Harris have agreed to a 10 September debate on ABC, the network says, setting up the first showdown between the candidates
Earlier, former US President Donald Trump held a rare news conference at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida
Trump said he wants to debate Harris multiple times, and he had agreed to three dates in September
He also said he was "pretty much recovered" from the wound to his ear after an assassination attempt on his life last month
The US presidential election will be held on 5 November
Live Reporting
Edited by Emily McGarvey, Caitlin Wilson and Brandon Livesay
Thanks for joining uspublished at 22:23 8 August
22:23 8 August
Brandon Livesay
US reporterWe are wrapping up our live coverage of US politics for the day.
The main talking point has been about the first presidential debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, which is set to take place on 10 September.
For a full wrap of what we know about the debate, you can read this article.
And there are plenty of other things happening on the campaign trail. Here's some further reading you can check out:
- Biden 'not confident' of peaceful transition if Trump loses
- He's the new VP pick. To his students, he's Mr Walz
- Harris rejects claims she would support Israel arms embargo
- What we know about military records of Walz and Vance
Our writers today were Mike Wendling, Rachel Looker and George Wright. The page was edited by Caitlin Wilson, Emily McGarvey and myself.
Thanks for following along.
What happened today?published at 21:54 8 August
21:54 8 August
It's been another busy day on the campaign trail. Kamala Harris and Tim Walz have just finished up with a rally event in Michigan, and earlier today Donald Trump spoke to journalists at his residence in Mar a Lago, Florida.
Here's a round-up of what happened:
- Harris and Trump have agreed to a debate on 10 September, with broadcaster ABC to host
- Trump said he wants to debate Harris multiple times before the election. Additional dates have not been confirmed with the Harris campaign
- Trump also confirmed he will be interviewed by Elon Musk on Monday evening, but did not say what time or where it would be held
- Harris was joined by her running mate, Tim Walz, in addressing the UAW (United Auto Workers) in Detroit, who she thanked for endorsing her
- She said there are "89 days to get this done" ahead of the election, adding that "hard work is good work"
Is Trump feeling the pressure?published at 21:33 8 August
21:33 8 August
Image source, ReutersDonald Trump is likely hoping this afternoon’s news conference can help refocus the media’s, and voters’, attention onto him, according to a former White House staffer who worked in his administration.
Even after Trump survived an attempted assassination last month, much of the US political discussion in recent weeks has been keyed in on Vice-President Kamala Harris joining the presidential race after Joe Biden dropped out.
According to former Trump White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham, the former president is “panicking” over the shift in momentum, as many polls show enthusiasm growing behind Harris.
“I’ve seen this play many times,” she says on social media, external of Trump’s “self-announced press conference".
“He thinks his team is failing him and no one can speak better/’'save' his campaign/defend him but him. He hates the coverage Harris is getting and thinks only he can fix it,” she adds.
Grisham, who also worked for the Trump administration as communications director and chief of staff to First Lady Melania Trump, was the first White House press secretary to never hold a news briefing. She resigned from the administration the night of 6 January, 2021, after the riot at the Capitol.
Harris returns to 'freedom' themepublished at 21:21 8 August
21:21 8 August
Mike Wendling
US reporterIn her remarks, the vice-president returned to a theme thatshe’s often repeated in her still-new campaign.
“We want to recognise the right all people have to freedomand liberty… and not have their government tell them what to do,” Kamala Harris said.
In this case, she’s specifically talking about collective bargaining, but she's also used similar language about issues such as abortion.
It’s an attempt to turn the tables on a concept that more traditionally has been the domain of Republican politicians.
Her running mate Tim Walz mentioned Project 2025 - a conservative thinktank project which has been disavowed by Donald Trump but includes contributions by many people who worked in his White House and lays out several aggressive proposals on abortion, immigration and other issues.
“Freedom” isclearly something Democratic strategists think they can successfully campaign on.
'Hard work is good work' - Harrispublished at 21:13 8 August
21:13 8 August
Image source, ReutersThe union event is now over, but we'll keep bringing you the top lines.
Kamala Harris took to the mic next.
She began by speaking about the similarities between her and running mate Tim Walz.
She says that despite being "seemingly worlds apart" the same people raised us - "good hard working people."
Harris says that the sign of a good leader is not based on "who you beat down but who you raise up".
She says they are "not falling for these folks trying to divide us".
She adds that she and Walz and their supporters want fairness - the right to freedom and liberty - and "not the government telling them what to do".
Harris ends by saying she's "deeply honoured" for the UAW's endorsem*nt.
She says there are "89 days to get this done" ahead of the election, adding that "hard work is good work".
Walz: Harris 'stands on the side of the American worker'published at 21:04 8 August
21:04 8 August
Image source, ReutersWalz begins his speech to autoworkers in Detroit by calling the venue a "holy ground" for unions.
"I couldn't be prouder to be on this ticket and couldn't be prouder to stand with UAW (United Auto Workers)," he says.
Walz touts Harris's record standing on the side of the American worker and delivering for union members as well as organized labour.
"This is a bit of preaching to the choir, but the choir needs to sing," he said. "We know that unions built the middle class. The rest of America has to. You know who doesn't believe that? Donald Trump."
"This election is a simple choice - what direction and what's our country going to look like? ...Donald Trump will take it backwards," he said.
His remarks were met with chants from the crowd of "We're not going back!"
Image source, ReutersTrump and Harris agree to debate on 10 September, ABC sayspublished at 20:51 8 August
20:51 8 AugustBreaking
US network ABC has said both Donald Trump and Kamala Harris have agreed to a presidential debate on 10 September.
Earlier today, Trump said he had agreed to the date.
Harris has previously said she would debate Trump on 10 September, but is yet to weigh in on the topic today.
Harris and Walz in Detroitpublished at 20:40 8 August
20:40 8 August
We're now pivoting to the other side of the US campaign, as Kamala Harris and Tim Walz appear with autoworkers in Detroit.
The two have just taken the stage and will speak shortly.
Stick with us.
Trump repeats potent illegal immigrant ‘votes’ conspiracypublished at 20:37 8 August
20:37 8 August
Mike Wendling
US reporterJust before Trump finished his Q&A session, he repeated anallegation that is very popular with his base – that immigrants are beingdeliberately allowed into the country in order to vote for the Democratic Party.
There's simply no evidence that's true. Immigrants –- legal or otherwise - can’t vote for president until they become naturalised citizens.
And there’s a near-total lack of evidence that newcomers fraudulently vote, or that there is some grand scheme to rig elections.
A conservative think tank, the Heritage Foundation, maintainsa database of election fraud cases of all sorts – not just ones involving immigrants.
They’ve notched 1,400 cases over several decades of research, external– out of hundreds of millions of votes.
Trump’s notion that the 2020 election was stolen from him isan idea he just cannot let go - and it’s still a very effective line when hetalks to his most fervent supporters.
Trump campaign clarifies debate datespublished at 20:24 8 August
20:24 8 August
As we've mentioned, Donald Trump has proposed three presidential debates with Kamala Harris.
Trump appeared to mistakenly mix up the dates and broadcasters during his news conference earlier.
A Trump campaign staffer has clarified that the 4 September debate will be on Fox News, the 10 September debate will air on ABC News and the 25 September debate will be broadcast on NBC News.
We're about to hear from Vice-President Kamala Harris, when she could address whether she's agreed to all of the debates proposed by the Trump campaign.
Three proposed debates makes for a busy Septemberpublished at 20:12 8 August
20:12 8 August
Anthony Zurcher
North America correspondentDonald Trump’s press conference was a re-airing of old grievances and dire warnings about a dark future for America, interspersed with a flurry of attacks on Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris.
He belittled (and understated) the size of Harris’s rallies and disparaged her record as California’s attorney general and San Francisco district attorney.
The event generated a bit of news, however, with the former president’s proposal of three presidential debates next month, along with a vice-presidential debate at an undetermined date.
That would make for a busy September, although the Harris campaign previously rejected Trump’s call for a 4 September debate hosted by Fox News.
Trump’s appearance – and willingness to take questions from reporters – will give his campaign new ground from which to attack Harris’s unwillingness so far to hold a press conference of her own. It is also could be an attempt by the former president to wrest the national spotlight from Democrats, who have been riding a wave of enthusiasm and positive news recently.
Abortion issue ‘taken down many notches' - Trumppublished at 19:55 8 August
19:55 8 August
Mike Wendling
US reporterImage source, US PoolIn response to a question about abortion, Trump makes a numberof dubious and sometimes just plain false statements.
He says that “everybody” across both major parties andindependents wanted the issue to be thrown back to state governments, as happenedin 2022 when a Supreme Court ruling knocked down Roe v Wade, the court casethat established a national right to abortion. That’s not true.
He goes on to say that he believes in exceptions to abortionbans in cases of rape, incest and to protect the life of the mother, and thatmost Republicans agree with him. That’s accurate, according to recent polling, external.
But he then he accuses Democrats of wanting to legalise abortionup to eight or nine months of pregnancy, or to legalise infanticide - statementsthat are wildly inaccurate.
He goes on to say that the abortion issue “has been takendown many notches”.
“I don’t think it’s a big factor any more,” he says.
That’s a subjective judgement, but sounds like wishful thinking. The issue, which cost Republicans votes in the 2022 midterm elections, is very far from a settled question in American politics.
Elon Musk recently endorsed Trumppublished at 19:41 8 August
19:41 8 August
Image source, ReutersAs we’ve reported, Donald Trump will be doing an interview on Monday night with the richest man in the world, Elon Musk.
Musk recently endorsed Trump and has started getting involved in fundraising efforts for the Republican nominee.
Details of where the interview will be held have not been confirmed. But it's likely it would be shown on X, Musk's social media platform.
A glitch-ridden audio interview with Musk on Twitter Spaces launched Ron DeSantis's ill-fated run for president last year.
And later another big Trump interview, conducted by former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, premiered on X.
The pre-recorded chat was posted on Carlson's account just as the first Republican debate kicked off in August last year - a debate which Trump skipped.
Trump confirms interview with Elon Muskpublished at 19:39 8 August
19:39 8 August
The former president confirms something that he announced on his Truth Social network earlier this week - that he will be doing an interview with Elon Musk on Monday evening.
Trump says he spoke to Musk on the phone and calls the tycoon "courageous" for declaring his support for him.
Is Trump worried about crowd size?published at 19:36 8 August
19:36 8 August
Mike Wendling
US reporterTrump fields a question about the size of crowds at hisrallies versus those at Kamala Harris events.
He contends that the numbers at his events are “10 times, 20 times, 30 times” larger.
That’s a wild exaggeration. Crowd sizes are notoriouslydifficult to estimate, and Trump does draw large numbers of supporters. But the vice-president has drawn big and enthusiastic crowds of her own since she securedthe Democratic nomination.
Trump says he had a rally in Michigan where he drew 25,000people and a similar number couldn’t get in – but the event he seems to bereferencing was held at a venue in Grand Rapids with a capacity of about12,000, according to local reports.
Crowd sizes are also, as we’ve reported, not a very good predictorof election results.
Still, the former president insists: “We have the enthusiasm”.
Image source, EPAVice-presidential debate to air on CBS, says Trumppublished at 19:30 8 August
19:30 8 August
Trump also say that the vice-presidential debate is going to be aired on CBS News, without giving any further details.
He then goes on to praise his running mate.
"I have to tell you, JD Vance has really stepped up," Trump says. "He's doing a fantastic job."
Trump wants three debates - but details not confirmedpublished at 19:18 8 August
19:18 8 August
The former president says he's agreed to three debates on major US networks - starting with Fox News on 4 September. He also mentions a debate on 10 September on NBC and a third event on ABC on 25 September.
He says network bosses have agreed - although we don't have confirmation of that - and notes that he is waiting for the other side, the Harris campaign, to also agree.
Trump doesn't say where the locations will be or whether there will be an audience.
Trump's campaign later clarified the 10 September debate will be held on ABC and the 25 September will be on NBC.
The Harris campaign had pushed for a debate on ABC News on 10 September - a slot which was previously scheduled for a debate between Joe Biden and Trump - but Trump earlier said the ABC debate had been "terminated" by Biden leaving the race.
Trump starts out on the attackpublished at 19:13 8 August
19:13 8 August
Trump begins by doubling down on themes that he's been repeating on the campaign trail, calling the present moment "the most dangerous period of time I’ve ever seen for ourcountry".
He attacks his new opponent, calling Kamala Harris a "radical leftist" and alleging that her running mate Tim Walz "doesn’t want to have any form of safety for our country", referencing the US-Mexico border.
He's running through his tried-and-true themes - the economy and the immigration - before he takes questions from reporters.
Trump begins news conferencepublished at 19:08 8 August
19:08 8 August
Image source, US PoolFormer President Trump is now speaking to reporters at his home in Florida - stay with us for updates.
Press watch live at the top of this page to watch the news conference.
Who is Democratic VP candidate Tim Walz?published at 18:59 8 August
18:59 8 August
Image source, ReutersTim Walz served 12 years in Congress before becoming Minnesota governor in 2018.He has gained national attention for his strategy of calling Donald Trump and JD Vance "weird".
The phrase caught on with a number of Democrats - including Kamala Harris.
"He's just a strange, weird dude," Walz said of Trump during a fundraising event.
Minnesota is not much of a swing state, but Walz’s Midwest background could be a valuable asset for Harris in states across the region where the race is tighter.
His plainspoken and small-town persona could appeal to independent and conservative voters.
The 60-year-old led Minnesota through the 2020 protests over George Floyd's death in Minneapolis. He deployed the National Guard to help quell riots that broke out during the demonstrations.
Walz served 20 years in the National Guard, taught high school and also worked as an assistant football coach.
