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Scaramucci predicts Trump will do another debate ‘100 percent'

By Lauren Irwin - 9/13/24, 7:48 AM EDT

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Former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci said late Thursday that the chances of former President Trump participating in another debate against Vice President Harris are “100 percent," even if he’s saying he won’t.

“It’s 100 percent that he’s going to debate,” Scaramucci told CNN’s Anderson Cooper on “AC360," in remarks highlighted by Mediaite. “I’ll make that prediction here. He’s a wrestler, you know, he’s like a UFC thing. He’s going to say he's not going to debate. He knows he lost the debate.”

Earlier Thursday, Trump posted to his Truth Social site declaring “THERE WILL BE NO THIRD DEBATE.”

Trump and Harris met for the first time Tuesday on the Philadelphia debate stage. Immediately following what was widely viewed as a Harris win, her campaign said she was willing to debate Trump a second time ahead of the election.

Trump squashed the potential for a second meeting, though, saying in his post that she should “FOCUS ON WHAT SHE SHOULD HAVE DONE DURING THE LAST ALMOST FOUR YEAR PERIOD.”

Scaramucci during the CNN appearance pointed to Trump entering his spin room after the debate and said the former president wouldn’t have done that if he knew he had performed well.

“He knows he lost the debate, and he knows he’s debating her again, but he has to have a buildup,” said Scaramucci, who served 11 days in the Trump administration. "He think it’s a negotiating chip. He’s trying to show his macho flex.”

Prior to the debate, Harris hunkered down in Pennsylvania. She met with voters and prepared for the upcoming debate. Trump, on the other hand, landed in Philadelphia a few hours before the event’s 9 p.m. start time. Scaramucci argued the disparity showed onstage.

“She looked well-rested. She was very well-prepared. But he’s a macho man," Scaramucci said, adding that he was "probably" playing the Village People song "Macho Man" as his plane landed in Philadelphia.

During an appearance late Thursday, Harris said she and Trump "owe it to the voters" to have another debate, adding that ”what is at stake could not be more important.”

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