“I’m not going to waste my time on a virtual debate. That’s not what debating is all about,” Trump said on Fox Business.
Trump’s decision comes as questions continue to swirl about his health and how long he will remain infectious with COVID-19.
The debate, scheduled for Oct. 15, would be held with Trump and Biden in separate locations “in order to protect the health and safety of all involved with the second presidential debate,” the commission said, the Los Angeles Times reported.
The town-hall-style event would feature questions from voters and will be moderated by C-SPAN’s Steve Scully.
The pandemic has been a challenge for the debate commission, especially since the White House has refused to say when Trump became infected with COVID-19.
It’s unclear whether he was tested before his first encounter with Biden last week. After Trump announced his diagnosis early Friday morning, Biden was tested multiple times over the course of a few days to ensure he had not contracted the coronavirus while on stage with the president; he tested negative each time.
Vice President Mike Pence and Sen. Kamala Harris — the running mates for Trump and Biden — have also tested negative. But the commission placed plexiglass barriers between the two of them on stage for the vice presidential debate on Wednesday night.