Trump Will Hold a News Conference in His First Public Appearance since Rival Harris Picked Walz

Former US President and 2024 Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump accepts his party's nomination on the last day of the 2024 Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on July 18, 2024. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP)
Former US President and 2024 Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump accepts his party's nomination on the last day of the 2024 Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on July 18, 2024. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP)
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Trump Will Hold a News Conference in His First Public Appearance since Rival Harris Picked Walz

Former US President and 2024 Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump accepts his party's nomination on the last day of the 2024 Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on July 18, 2024. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP)
Former US President and 2024 Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump accepts his party's nomination on the last day of the 2024 Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on July 18, 2024. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP)

Former President Donald Trump says he will hold a new conference Thursday at Mar-a-Lago, his Florida beachside compound, making his first public appearance since Vice President Kamala Harris became the Democratic presidential nominee and selected Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate.

Trump announced the 2 p.m. EDT event on his Truth Social network and posted that he was eager to debate Harris, The AP reported.

He had teased an announcement about the presidential debate earlier this week after pulling out of an ABC News debate scheduled for Sept. 10. Trump had said he would prefer that Fox News sponsor the debate, but on Wednesday was showing willingness to reconsider ABC.

“I will expose Kamala during the Debate the same way I exposed Crooked Joe, Hillary, and everyone else during Debates,” he said on Truth Social, referring to Democrats Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton. “Only I think Kamala will be easier.”

Trump’s running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, has criticized Harris for not holding a news conference or sitting down for interviews since Biden stepped aside from his presidential reelection campaign and she launched her White House campaign. Harris sometimes answers shouted questions while boarding or leaving her plane for campaign stops.



Russia Teams up with China at Start of Big Naval Drills 

In this photo taken from video released by Russian Defense Ministry press service on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, Russian and Chinese warships sail in the Peter the Great Gulf during Ocean-2024 strategic command and staff exercises in Russia. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)
In this photo taken from video released by Russian Defense Ministry press service on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, Russian and Chinese warships sail in the Peter the Great Gulf during Ocean-2024 strategic command and staff exercises in Russia. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)
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Russia Teams up with China at Start of Big Naval Drills 

In this photo taken from video released by Russian Defense Ministry press service on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, Russian and Chinese warships sail in the Peter the Great Gulf during Ocean-2024 strategic command and staff exercises in Russia. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)
In this photo taken from video released by Russian Defense Ministry press service on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, Russian and Chinese warships sail in the Peter the Great Gulf during Ocean-2024 strategic command and staff exercises in Russia. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)

Russian and Chinese warships began exercises on Tuesday as part of what Moscow said was a major set of naval drills stretching from the Mediterranean to the Pacific.

Russia's Defense Ministry said four Chinese warships and a supply vessel teamed up with Russian ships in Peter the Great Bay, south of Vladivostok, for exercises "to defend sea communications and areas of maritime economic activity".

It said those drills were part of much larger maneuvers involving more than 400 Russian warships, submarines and support vessels that would run until Sept. 16 in the Pacific and Arctic Oceans and the Mediterranean, Baltic and Caspian seas.

China's official Xinhua news agency said on Monday that the aim of the exercise with Russia was to deepen "the level of strategic coordination between the Chinese and Russian militaries and enhance their ability to jointly respond to security threats".

Russia's armed forces have been heavily stretched on land and sea for the past two and a half years by its war in Ukraine. Ukrainian forces, despite being vastly outgunned in naval firepower, have managed to inflict damaging blows on Moscow's Black Sea Fleet.

Russia has nevertheless continued to stage large-scale military exercises - including thousands of miles away in its far east - in order to project power and build defense ties with partners, especially China.