Vice President Kamala Harris spoke with reporters for the first time Thursday since becoming the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee nearly three weeks ago.
She talked to the media on the tarmac at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport after a campaign event in Michigan and after former President Trump held a lengthy news conference at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida Thursday afternoon.
Harris responded to criticism about not doing a formal press conference or a wide-ranging interview since she became the presumptive nominee.
“I’ve talked to my team. I want us to get an interview scheduled before the end of the month,” Harris said.
18 DAYS: KAMALA HARRIS HAS NOT HELD A PRESS CONFERENCE SINCE EMERGING AS PRESUMPTIVE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE
Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic candidate for president, speaks to members of the press before departing from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport in Detroit Thursday. ( Alex Wong/Getty Images)
The vice president also touched on an agreement with Trump to conduct at least one presidential debate prior to Election Day Nov. 5.
“Well, I’m glad that he’s finally agreed to a debate on Sept. 10,” she said, adding she would be willing to schedule additional debates with the former president.
Trump said on Thursday that he would participate in a trio of debates on Fox News Channel, NBC and ABC next month.
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Trump previously indicated he may not agree to the ABC debate, originally set with President Biden before Harris replaced him as the Democratic presidential candidate nearly three weeks ago.
“I am beyond trying to speculate about how he thinks,” Harris said when asked about Trump backing out of the debate.
Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential candidate, greets audience members at a campaign rally at United Auto Workers Local 900 Thursday, in Wayne, Mich. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
Harris also addressed Republicans who questioned Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s military record after she named him her running mate Tuesday.
“Listen, I praise anyone who has presented themselves to serve our country,” she said. “And I think that we all should.”
The controversy came after Republicans accused Walz of engaging in “stolen valor garbage” with respect to his military credentials.
Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Trump are expected to debate next month. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images/Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
Harris’ stop at the tarmac came after Trump attacked the vice president for not taking on-the-record questions from reporters on the campaign trail since becoming the presumptive Democratic nominee.
“Kamala refuses to do interviews because her team realizes she is unable to answer questions, much like Biden was not able to answer questions, but for different reasons,” Trump posted on Truth Social.
She also failed to appear at the National Association of Black Journalists’ convention in Chicago, where former President Trump made headlines last week for a question-and-answer session.
Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential candidate, waves as she boards Air Force Two prior to a departure from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport in Detroit. ( Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Harris has gone 18 days without holding a formal press conference since emerging as the presumptive nominee last month. President Biden endorsed her July 21 when he suspended his re-election campaign.
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Since then, Harris has been traveling across the U.S. on the campaign trail and giving informal remarks.
The Harris campaign did not immediately return Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
