Former President Donald Trump claimed on Saturday that height adjustments behind the podium will not be allowed during the upcoming presidential debate. Trump made the statement in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social.
“No boxes or artificial lifts will be allowed to stand on during my upcoming debate with Comrade Kamala Harris,” Trump wrote. He referenced a past dispute with former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who Trump had accused of requesting a lift for a debate during his 2020 Democratic presidential campaign.
Trump, who stands over 6′ tall will tower over the 5’4″ tall Harris, even while she wears her heals.
Initially, Harris wanted to have a sit-down debate, but that request was also denied.
In his post, Trump suggested that allowing such adjustments would be a form of cheating. “It would be a form of cheating, and the Democrats cheat enough,” he added. The former president’s remarks made it unclear whether his statements were based on direct discussions with ABC, the debate’s host, or were speculative.
Trump’s post also revisited his past rivalry with Bloomberg, who he mocked as “Mini Mike Bloomberg” during the 2020 campaign. Trump had previously claimed Bloomberg requested to stand on a box for a debate, a claim that Bloomberg’s campaign denied.
Vice President Kamala Harris has addressed her height in past interviews, stating that she stands at 5’4″ and sometimes 5’4″ and a half. In contrast, Trump’s height has been reported as either 6’2″ or 6’3″.
ABC has not confirmed or denied Trump’s claims.
The rules for Tuesday’s presidential debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, hosted by ABC, have been set. The debate will last 90 minutes with two commercial breaks, and there will be no audience present. Candidates will not have access to prewritten notes or props.
Microphones will be live only during each candidate’s turn to speak.
Trump will have the final closing statement after winning a coin toss. Each candidate will have two minutes to answer questions and rebut, with one extra minute for follow-ups.