Former President Trump on Tuesday challenged President Biden to a debate this week and an 18-hole golf match, calling it a chance for Biden to “redeem himself” after a disastrous performance during a June 27 debate that has dramatically altered the presidential campaign.
“I’m officially offering Joe the chance to redeem himself in front of the entire world,” Trump said at a rally in Doral, Fla.
“Let’s do another debate this week so that sleepy Joe Biden can prove to everyone all over the world that he has what it takes to be president,” Trump added. “But this time it will be man-to-man, no moderators, no holds barred. Just name the place, anytime, anywhere.”
The offer is not a practical one given Biden is in Washington, D.C., this week attending the NATO summit with other world leaders before heading to Detroit on Friday to campaign. The two men are scheduled to hold a second debate in September, which Biden’s campaign has said he plans to attend.
Trump also referenced an exchange during the June debate in which he and Biden squabbled over their golf handicaps, and Biden challenged Trump to play golf “if you carry your own bag,” suggesting Trump couldn’t handle it physically.
“That’s why this evening I am also … officially challenging crooked Joe to an 18-hole golf match,” Trump said, suggesting it be held on his golf course in Doral and be televised.
The former president offered to give Biden a 20-stroke advantage and donate $1 million to a charity of Biden’s choice if the president prevailed. The Washington Post reported at length in 2016 that Trump did not follow through on some of his claims of charitable giving.
The Biden campaign responded to Trump’s comments by saying the president “doesn’t have time for Donald Trump’s weird antics – he’s busy leading America and defending the free world.”
“Donald Trump hasn’t been seen in public for 12 days, now he’s inviting fictional serial killers to dinner, teasing lil’ Marco Rubio, praising Project 2025 architect Tom Homan, and challenging the President of the United States to golf,” Biden spokesperson James Singer said in a statement.
“Donald Trump is a liar, a convict, and a fraud only out for himself – par for the course,” Singer added.
Biden’s stumbling debate performance, in which he struggled to complete his train of thought and stood with his mouth agape as Trump spoke, has set off a debate within the Democratic Party over whether he should remain the nominee.
Seven House Democrats have publicly urged Biden to stand down as the nominee. Several Democrats in the House and Senate have said Biden must do more to show he can aggressively campaign and make the case for a second term.
But the overwhelming majority of Democratic lawmakers have rallied behind Biden as the president has made clear he has no plans to step aside. The White House has touted its support from the Congressional Black Caucus and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, as well as lawmakers such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), to argue it has broad support.
“I am not going anywhere. And I wouldn’t be running if I didn’t absolutely believe that I am the best candidate to beat Donald Trump in 2024,” Biden said Monday on MSNBC. “And we had a Democratic nominating process where the voters spoke clearly.”
Updated at 9:08 p.m. EDT