Trump challenges Biden to take 'drug test' before first presidential debate

The United States President Donald Trump on Wednesday, August 26 has called for himself and Democratic opponent Joe Biden to be drug tested before their first presidential debate to be held in Ohio next month. Trump's suggestion comes at a time when Biden showed an improvement in his debate performance.

In an interview with an American Magazine, Trump said that he had noticed a sudden improvement in his rival Biden's performance in the Democratic primary TV debates. However, offered no evidence his rival might be on drugs other than to say "I'm pretty good at this stuff."

READ | Donald Trump Jr. mispronounces PPE, netizens say 'you lost me' as video goes viral

Expressing surprise at the former vice president’s bearing during the last debate against Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders in March, Trump said his party is going to call for a drug test.

The president further explained that he has watched Biden in debates with different people of the other Democratic presidential hopefuls and said Biden's debates were close to incompetent. But against Bernie he was normal, Trump said raising suspicion.

READ | Indian software developer honoured with US citizenship; Donald Trump lauds 'fantastic job'

Trump had made similar remarks in the fall of 2016, at the peak of the presidential race, positing that then-opponent Hillary Clinton had taken drugs. Earlier this month Trump asked for extra debates to be scheduled with rival Biden, but the Commission on Presidential Debates declined. He then asked for the first debate to be held earlier for the benefit of early voters, which was again rejected.

About the upcoming Presidential debates

The first 90-minute debate between Trump and Biden is set to take place on September 29 at Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland Clinic's joint health campus. Two other debates between the two candidates are also scheduled before the November 3 election one in Miami, Florida on October 15 and another in Nashville, Tennessee on October 22.

READ | Melania says US needs Donald Trump's leadership to become 'world's greatest economy'

READ | Donald Trump to nominate acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf to top spot