Former President Donald Trump said President Joe Biden doesn't want independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to take part in any debates because each is "far left" and "would be debating over the same territory."
Trump and Biden on Wednesday agreed to hold two campaign debates, with the first scheduled for June 27 on CNN.
Biden's campaign had proposed excluding third-party candidates, such as Kennedy, from the debates.
"Crooked Joe Biden does not want RFK Jr. in the debates because Junior is far left [like] him and they would be debating over the same territory, like ridiculous Open Borders and the Green New Scam, both of which are killing our Country," Trump posted Thursday on Truth Social. "He's also sharper and far more intelligent than Joe, all making for a bad combination of ingredients.
"I don't care if Junios' [sic] joins the Debate, but right now his polling numbers are very low, he is not properly qualified in the States, and he seems to be on a downward path. Junior' needs more than his name to get on the 'stage!'"
Biden announced he will not participate in fall presidential debates sponsored by the nonpartisan commission that has organized them for more than three decades.
Under the Commission on Presidential Debates rules, Kennedy or other third-party candidates could qualify if they secured ballot access sufficient to claim 270 Electoral Votes and polled at 15% or higher in a selection of national polls.
Kennedy chided Biden and Trump for agreeing to debate without him.
"Presidents Trump and Biden are colluding to lock America into a head-to-head match-up that 70% say they do not want," Kennedy wrote on X. "They are trying to exclude me from their debate, because they are afraid I would win. Keeping viable candidates off the debate stage undermines democracy."