vice president Kamala Harris He spoke to reporters on Thursday for the first time since being named the Democratic presidential nominee about three weeks ago.
She spoke to reporters on the tarmac at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport after campaigning in Michigan and after former President Trump held a lengthy press conference at his Mar-a-Lago, Florida, resort on Thursday afternoon.
Harris was responding to criticism that she has not held a formal press conference or given a wide-ranging interview since becoming the presumptive nominee.
“I’ve spoken with the team and hope to schedule an interview by the end of this month,” Harris said.
18 days: Kamala Harris hasn’t held a press conference since emerging as the presumptive Democratic nominee
Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, spoke to reporters before departing from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport in Detroit on Thursday. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
The vice president also noted that he has agreed with Trump to hold at least one presidential debate before the November 5 election.
“I’m pleased that he has finally agreed to the debate on Sept. 10,” she said, adding that she is open to scheduling further debates with the former president.
Trump said Thursday that he will take part in three debates next month on Fox News Channel, NBC and ABC.
JD Vance slams Harris for avoiding press on Wisconsin runway, calls Air Force Two ‘plane of the future’
Trump had previously suggested that Harris might not agree to appear in the ABC debate originally scheduled with Biden before she replaced him as the Democratic presidential nominee about three weeks ago.
Asked about Trump’s decision to withdraw from the debate, Harris said it was “impossible to speculate on what he was thinking.”
![Kamala Harris](https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2024/08/1200/675/KamalaHarris3.jpg?ve=1&tl=1)
Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris addressed the crowd at a campaign rally at the United Auto Workers Local 900 in Wayne, Michigan on Thursday. (Andrew Harnick/Getty Images)
Harris also addressed Republicans who questioned Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s military record after she named him as her running mate on Tuesday.
“Listen, I applaud anyone who volunteers to serve our country,” she said, “and I think we all should.”
The controversy came after Republicans accused Walz of engaging in “stolen heroism” about his military record.
![Kamala Harris and Trump break up](https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2024/08/1200/675/KAMALA-HARRIS-TRUMP-SPLIT.jpg?ve=1&tl=1)
Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Trump are scheduled to debate next month. (Andrew Harnick/Getty Images/Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
Harris’s stop on the runway came after Trump criticized her for not answering official questions from reporters on the campaign trail since becoming the Democratic nominee.
“Kamala refused to be interviewed because her team realized she couldn’t answer the questions – much like Biden couldn’t answer the questions but for different reasons,” Trump posted on Truth Social.
She also did not attend the National Association of Black Journalists’ convention in Chicago last week, where former President Trump was the subject of a question-and-answer session.
![Kamala Harris](https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2024/08/1200/675/KamalaHarris2.jpg?ve=1&tl=1)
Democratic presidential nominee and Vice President Kamala Harris waves as she boards Air Force Two before departing from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport in Detroit. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Harris 18 days have passed She has not held a formal press conference since emerging as the presumptive nominee last month, and President Biden suspended his reelection campaign to endorse her on July 21.
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Since then, Harris has been campaigning and giving private speeches around the country.
Harris’ campaign did not immediately return. Fox News Digital Request for Comments.