The Trump campaign released some of the questions that it hopes to get answered during Tuesday's debate, including several about Hunter Biden, the former vice president's son.
Questions involving Hunter Biden top the list. The younger Biden has drawn scrutiny over the past several months after he sat on the board of a Ukrainian gas company while his father was in office, reportedly taking home a lucrative salary. Meanwhile, the firm, Burisma Holdings, and its founder was the subject of an investigation in Ukraine about possible corruption.
Trump's campaign also wants to see Biden asked about why he has not released his list of Supreme Court nominees, as Trump did several weeks ago. He also wants Sen. Kamala D. Harris (D-Calif.) to answer questions about a possible expansion of the high court.
Other questions are on immigration, trade, and taxes. Several are about China and the Chinese Communist Party.
"Your plan would raise the U.S. business tax rate higher than China’s rate. Won’t that make it more expensive for companies to do business in America and ultimately send jobs overseas," said one question. "President Trump imposed restrictions on travel from China on January 31 to combat the spread of the coronavirus. Why did it take you two months to say you supported that decision?" asked another.
Another question centers around Biden's staff donating money to a group that bailed out rioters in the wake of George Floyd's death and the ensuing riots.
"Earlier this year your campaign staff donated money to the Minnesota Freedom Fund, an organization that bailed out of a jail a rioter who shot at police officers and other violent criminals and sexual predators. Your running mate Kamala Harris also urged people to donate to that organization and is still raising money for it. Do you condone that?" said another question.
Biden's campaign issued a statement on Trump's questions, issuing a warning about Hunter Biden.
“Joe Biden is ready for anything. But if Donald Trump goes there, it will backfire,” said Biden campaign spokesman Andrew Bates in a statement to news outlets on Tuesday.
“The country is reeling from the pandemic because of Donald Trump’s erratic leadership, which has plunged our economy into the worst downturn in 90 years. We don’t but that even Donald Trump is stupid enough to think he can dodge these emergencies with smears about Hunter Biden,” Bates said.
He added, “For Donald Trump to demonstrate that the only case he can make for himself is to lash out at Joe Biden’s children would be the ultimate admission that his presidency is a weak, pathetic failure.”
The debate is scheduled for 9 p.m. Tuesday, moderated by Fox News' Chris Wallace.
