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Ex-Trump official issues stern warning to the former president ahead of Kamala Harris debate
Donald Trump has to be careful about 'pushing' too hard against Kamala Harris at their first debate this month, former Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross warns.
Ross, 86, is worried that the ex-president will come across as too 'strong' against Vice President Harris and says people don't want to see a woman treated like that.
Harris and Trump are slated for their first debate in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on September 10 hosted by ABC News.
After a bitter back and forth over rules and logistics – including whether the microphones would be muted or if the candidates would be sitting or standing – Trump's team and ABC News now claim the rules are set and agree to.
'The only danger is Trump being big and strong and a man,' Ross told radio host John Catsimatidis during an interview on The Cats Roundtable on Sunday morning.
Former Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross (pictured left) warned Donald Trump against coming off too 'strong' at his debate with Kamala Harris because 'people don't like to see a woman pushed'
He continued: 'He has to be careful not to be seen as piling on a woman. People don't like to see a woman pushed too hard.'
But Trump already went one-on-one in a debate with a woman when he faced Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential race.
Ross served in Trump's administration for nearly the entirety of his term, coming on as Commerce Secretary on February 28, 2017 and ending his tenure when the term ended on January 20, 2021.
He also recommended that the debate be less about theatrics and more focused on 'real topics' like inflation, the southern border and foreign wars, which he claims are 'things that people are really very worried about' this election cycle.
In the last presidential debate, Trump faced Joe Biden in Atlanta, Georgia on June 27 – and the CNN event was what sparked the beginning of the end of the Democratic president's bid for reelection.
Less than a month after the showdown, Biden dropped out of the race and endorsed Harris to take his spot atop the ticket in November.
The campaign, back when it was still a Biden-Harris ticket, agreed to debate rules for Harris when she was set to appear as the vice presidential candidate. This included no pre-written notes, standing behind a podium and muted microphones when it wasn't the candidates' turn to speak.
But Trump's team claims that his Democratic rival wants to alter those now that she is going against him.
Harris will go head-to-head with Trump at their first debate in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on September 10 hosted by ABC News
While the debate over microphone muting appears to be ongoing with the Harris campaign still pressuring ABC News to ditch the rule, the other logistics appear to be worked out.
Harris' campaign wanted microphones left on throughout the debate because they thought it would allow viewers to see Trump interrupting the vice president. The muted microphones at the CNN debate in June was seen as an advantage to Trump.
Trump's campaign says Harris wanted to be seated so the 6' 3' former president wouldn't loom over her nearly a full foot shorter stature at 5' 4'.
They also say that Harris wanted to be able to bring pre-written notes on stage – something that VP's team vehemently denies.
The debate will mirror CNN's earlier this summer with the rules and logistics, including the absence of a live audience.