Joe Biden has said he would be open to debate his presumptive Republican opponent Donald Trump ahead of November’s presidential election.
The US president was speaking to radio host Howard Stern on Sirius XM, who asked Mr Biden if he would debate Mr Trump, to which he said: “I am, somewhere. I don’t know when. But I’m happy to debate him.”
His answer is the clearest indication Mr Biden has given on the prospect of a clash between the two, having evaded the idea so far.
In March, Mr Biden entertained the notion when he said a debate with Mr Trump “depends on his behaviour”.
Meanwhile, the Trump campaign has said for some time that the former president is ready to debate Joe Biden anytime as campaign adviser Chris LaCivita responded to Mr Biden’s comments on X, saying: “OK let’s set it up!”
Mr Trump, who is currently on trial over hush money charges, responded to the president on his platform Truth Social saying: “Everyone knows he doesn’t really mean it, but in case he does, I say, ANYWHERE, ANYTIME, ANYPLACE.”
Mr Trump suggested he was ready to debate as early as “Monday evening” as he rallies in the swing state of Michigan for the week.
He also gave two more evenings to stage the debate as he will not be attending court proceedings during this time.
The pair faced each other twice before the 2020 election, with a standout moment during the first debate as an exasperated Mr Biden said: “Will you shut up man”, as Mr Trump spoke over him as he tried to answer a question about the Supreme Court.
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Mr Trump has not participated in any of the Republican primary debates this cycle.
The Commission on Presidential Debates has already announced the dates and locations for the three general election debates between the presidential candidates: 16 September in Texas, 1 October in Virginia, and 9 October in Salt Lake City.
Debates during a presidential campaign have been customary since 1976 when Republican Gerald Ford faced off against Democrat Jimmy Carter.
Elsewhere, during Mr Biden’s wide-ranging interview with Stern, the US leader spoke in depth about his family’s history, the loss of his first wife and daughter in a car accident, and the death of his son Beau to cancer.