President Biden says he will debate Trump again in September

US President Joe Biden pledges to meet Donald Trump for another presidential debate in September, after he was heavily criticized for his performance in their previous encounter last month.

“I’m going to debate him when we agreed to debate… in September,” Biden tells NBC in an interview, adding that he doesn’t “plan on having another performance on that level.”

The biggest takeaways:

  • Biden talks about his call with Trump after the assassination attempt, saying he told the former president he was "concerned" and Trump thanked Biden for calling.
  • Biden calls it a "mistake" to have said it's "time to put Trump in the bullseye" during a donor call days before Trump was nearly killed in Saturday's shooting.
  • When asked whether he heightened the temperature in rhetoric, Biden points the finger at Trump, citing his past remarks and conduct, including his claims he won the 2020 election.
  • Biden says while he personally does "feel safe" with his Secret Service protection, it's important that a full investigation examines whether they should "have anticipated what happened."
  • Biden says he's "not surprised" about a judge throwing the classified documents case against Trump. He notes the Supreme Court ruling that he says made this possible.
  • When asked whether he's watched his performance at the first debate, Biden says he's seen clips but laughs and notes he doesn't need to watch the full event to understand it was a poor performance. "I was there," he says with a laugh.
  • Biden says he has no plans to leave the presidential race. He notes the voters who backed him and says "I listen to them." When asked who else he consults with on the campaign and his future, he says: "Me."
  • Biden says he is old, but only three years older than Trump. "I understand why people say, 'God, he’s 81 years old. Whoa. What’s he gonna be when he’s 83 years old, 84 years?' It’s a legitimate question to ask."