Trump news – live: Biden shoots down Pelosi's idea of dodging debates with Trump, as president prepares to go on attack in tonight's RNC speech

James Crump, Gino Spocchia, Griffin Connolly
·1 min read
US President Donald Trump speaks on the first day of the Republican National Convention at the Charlotte Convention Centre on 24 August 2020 in Charlotte, North Carolina: (2020 Getty Images)
US President Donald Trump speaks on the first day of the Republican National Convention at the Charlotte Convention Centre on 24 August 2020 in Charlotte, North Carolina: (2020 Getty Images)

Speaker Nancy Pelosi has urged Joe Biden not to take the stage for the three scheduled debates with Mr Trump in September and October, warning that doing so just provides the president another prime-time opportunity to spread misinformation and division.

It comes as hundreds of former staffers for former GOP presidents and presidential candidates disavowed Mr Trump and said they plan to vote for his Democratic opponent.

Even several of the president's own former advisers have ditched him in favour of Mr Biden, as one former counter terrorism official has said that Mr Trump's 'racism' fuelled white supremacist violence in the United States.

The US president, whose recent appeals to America’s ”suburban housewives” come amid other sexist remarks, will accept the Republican nomination on Thursday following a Wednesday night programme including White House counsellor Kellyanne Conway, South Dakota governor Kristi Noem, and White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany.

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