Trump and Harris sparred in a presidential debate

US presidential candidates Donald Trump and Kamala Harris are at odds over their first debate, each favoring a different host and day.

Harris’ campaign is pushing for a debate on ABC News on September 10, at the site of the scheduled debate between President Joe Biden and Mr Trump.

But Mr Trump says the ABC debate was “done” by Mr Biden leaving the race – and instead pushed himself and Ms Harris to debate on Fox News on September 4.

The two will face off for the presidency when the US goes to the polls on November 5.

The standoff began after President Biden dropped out of the race on July 21, and Ms. Harris quickly became the favorite to win the Democratic nomination.

Since then, Mr. Trump has not committed himself that he will still be part of the debate that was organized by ABC News.

US TV networks have been negotiating with both campaigns to schedule new dates.

On Friday night, Mr Trump posted on his social media site Truth Social that he had accepted Fox News’ offer of a September 4 debate, penciled in to be held in Pennsylvania – a key battleground state.

He wrote that the moderators will be Bret Baier of Fox News and Martha MacCallum – and that the rules will be the same as his debate with Mr Biden.

“If for any reason Kamala is unwilling or unable to interview that day, I have agreed with Fox to hold a large Town Hall on the same September 4 evening,” he wrote.

The Harris campaign responded, saying: “Donald Trump is scared and trying to back out of an interview he already agreed to and went straight to Fox News to bail him out.”

“He needs to stop playing games and show up for the debate he’s already committed to on September 10,” said Michael Tyler, communications director for the Harris Campaign.

Ms Harris received enough pledges for the Democratic nomination on Friday.

During a campaign rally in Atlanta on Wednesday, Ms Harris challenged Mr Trump to challenge her, saying “if you have something to say, say it to my face”.

The news of the debate comes hours after a report from the Department of Homeland Security revealed that the US Secret Service made mistakes in their response to the January 6 attack on the US Capitol.

Ms Harris, then the vice president-elect, emerged from a 20ft (6m) “active” pipe bomb planted outside the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee in Washington.

That bomb — and a similar one found at the headquarters of the Republican National Committee — were placed near the building the night before Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol. It is not clear who planted both pipe bombs.