Mock sessions and policy briefings: Donald Trump and Kamala Harris kick off debate preparations.
**WASHINGTON** - As Kamala Harris and Donald Trump prepare for next week's Democratic National Convention, they are also gearing up for their next major campaign event: the September 10 debate.
Trump has resumed his distinctive debate preparation style, engaging in consultations with advisers and friends, including former U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, a notable past debate opponent of Harris.
"President Trump has proven himself as one of the best debaters in political history, as shown by his knockout blow to Joe Biden on June 27," said Karoline Leavitt, the Trump campaign's national press secretary.
A composite image shows Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump during a campaign rally in Atlanta, Georgia, on August 3, 2024, alongside Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris at a rally with her newly chosen running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on August 6, 2024. (REUTERS/Umit Bektas/Elizabeth Frantz)
Gabbard, a former Democrat who ran for president in the 2020 election cycle, sharply criticized Harris during a primary debate in July 2019.
Leavitt noted that Trump "does not need traditional debate prep but will continue to meet with respected policy advisors and effective communicators like Tulsi Gabbard, who successfully challenged Kamala Harris on the debate stage."
Trump and Harris are set to face off in a September 10 debate in Philadelphia, sponsored by ABC News.
Harris has started more traditional debate preparations, including mock debates at Howard University in Washington, D.C., her alma mater.
Longtime Democratic operative Philippe Reines is playing Trump in these mock debates, a role he filled for Hillary Clinton during the 2016 election.
The New York Times reported on Friday that "Harris is working on her debate preparations with a small group of advisers, several of whom have known her since before she became vice president."
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