President Joe Biden has confirmed that he is willing to debate his presumptive Republican opponent, Donald Trump, later this fall, marking his most definitive statement on the matter to date. Biden made the announcement during an interview with Sirius XM radio host Howard Stern, who asked him about his willingness to participate in debates against Trump. Despite the Biden campaign's initial reluctance to commit to the debates, the president himself expressed his readiness, stating, "I am, somewhere. I don't know when, but I'm happy to debate him."

This news comes after previous ambiguity from Biden, who in March had stated that his participation in debates would depend on Trump's behavior. During the 2020 general election, the two candidates engaged in two debates, with the first one marred by chaos and interruptions that visibly irritated Biden, leading him to tell Trump, "Will you shut up?" COVID-19 restrictions heavily impacted the campaign year, and limited the scope of debates.

While Trump's campaign officials have consistently expressed the former president's preparedness to debate Biden at any time, it is important to note that Trump did not participate in any of the Republican primary debates this cycle. In response to Biden's announcement, Chris LaCivita, a senior adviser to the Trump campaign, promptly responded on social media, saying, "OK let's set it up!"

Trump himself weighed in on the situation, asserting that "everyone knows [Biden] doesn't really mean it" in regard to his willingness to debate. The former president suggested potential dates for the upcoming debates, specifically highlighting next Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday evenings when he will be campaigning in Michigan. This timing is convenient for Trump, as he is typically required to attend proceedings for his hush money criminal trial in New York every day except Wednesdays. Trump even challenged Biden to debate at the Manhattan courthouse on Friday night since both men were in New York at the same time, but Biden has since returned to Washington.

The Commission on Presidential Debates has already planned the dates and locations for three general election debates between the presidential candidates, with the lone vice presidential debate set for a separate date. The debates are scheduled to take place on September 16 in San Marcos, Texas; October 1 in Petersburg, Virginia; and October 9 in Salt Lake City. It is yet to be seen which dates will be agreed upon by both Biden and Trump for potential additional debates.

In an unrelated matter, on Melania Trump's birthday, the former president had previously stated his plans to fly back to Florida to celebrate with his wife. This falls on the same day as the suggested debate dates put forth by Trump.

As the campaign trail heats up, a dozen news organizations including The Associated Press penned a letter to both campaigns, encouraging their participation in the debates. Biden has been known to engage in relatively fewer press interviews than his predecessors, with his team preferring non-traditional media outlets for their messaging. The timing of Biden's interview with Howard Stern was coincidental, planned ahead of time as reflected in the White House's weeks-long coordination with the host.

While the presidential debates are expected to be momentous events in the upcoming election, it remains to be seen how both candidates' schedules and priorities will align to make these debates a reality.