WASHINGTON — The Trump campaign announced on Wednesday that it will postpone finalizing dates for the vice presidential debate until after the Democratic National Convention, set to begin on August 19. This decision comes amid ongoing speculation about the Democratic vice presidential nominee, compounded by calls from some Democrats for President Joe Biden to withdraw from the race.

Brian Hughes, a senior adviser to the Trump campaign, articulated that the current uncertainty surrounding the Democratic ticket makes it impractical to establish a debate schedule at this juncture. “We don’t know who the Democratic nominee for Vice President is going to be, so we can’t lock in a date before their convention. To do so would be unfair to Gavin Newsom, JB Pritzker, Gretchen Whitmer, or whoever Kamala Harris picks as her running mate,” Hughes stated. He mentioned prominent Democratic governors—Gavin Newsom of California, JB Pritzker of Illinois, and Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan—as potential vice presidential candidates.

In mid-May, Vice President Kamala Harris accepted an invitation from CBS News to participate in a debate on either July 23 or August 13. A Biden campaign official confirmed on Wednesday that CBS has since offered an alternative date of August 12, which Harris has also accepted. Despite these arrangements, the Trump campaign had not committed to the CBS debate but had agreed to a vice presidential debate hosted by Fox News.

Senator JD Vance of Ohio, who was recently announced as Donald Trump’s running mate, is slated to accept the Republican nomination for vice president on Wednesday night at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. The Trump campaign’s delay in finalizing debate plans has provoked a response from Harris’ team.

Harris’ communications director, Brian Fallon, criticized the Trump campaign’s decision, accusing them of flip-flopping. “Trump's campaign previously stated that he would debate 'anytime, any place,'” Fallon remarked. “Now, right after a damaging leak showing his support for a nationwide abortion ban, Vance is backing away from a debate against Vice President Harris, who has been a fervent advocate for reproductive rights.” Fallon added, “This debate has been under discussion for two months. If JD Vance is unwilling to defend the Trump-Vance record on the debate stage, he should just say so.”

President Biden has steadfastly maintained that he will not withdraw from the presidential race despite his lackluster debate performance in June and growing concerns among Democratic lawmakers about his viability against Trump in the general election. With mounting calls for Biden to step aside, Vice President Harris has emerged as a likely successor, poised to inherit Biden’s substantial campaign resources if he were to withdraw.

Rep. Adam Schiff, a prominent Democrat running for the Senate in California, reiterated the call for Biden to exit the race. In a recent interview on NBC News' "Meet the Press," Schiff suggested that Harris “very well could win overwhelmingly” if Biden were to step down, describing her as a “phenomenal president.”

As the pressure on Biden continues, Trump and his allies have intensified their attacks on Harris, framing the upcoming election as a referendum on her. Former GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley sharply criticized Harris during her speech at the Republican National Convention on Tuesday night. “For more than a year, I’ve said a vote for Joe Biden is a vote for President Kamala Harris,” Haley declared. “After witnessing the debate, it’s clear that if we endure four more years of Biden or even a single day of Harris, our nation will be in grave jeopardy. For the sake of our country, we must elect Donald Trump.”