Election 2024 live: Kamala Harris endorsed by Barack and Michelle Obama after taunting Trump for backing out of debate

US Vice President Kamala Harris has trolled Donald Trump after the Republican presidential nominee backed out of a proposed television debate, asking on social media: “What happened to any time, any place?”

Trump had previously used those words to lay down the gauntlet to Joe Biden but now appears to have cold feet about taking on Harris, after the former stepped down from the Democratic Party ticket on Sunday to make way for his deputy, who is now its presumptive nominee for the White House.

Harris accused Trump on Thursday of “backpedaling” on his commitment to a presidential debate provisionally scheduled for September 10 to be broadcast on ABC .

Trump’s campaign team subsequently confirmed that he would not face her, at least not yet, blaming Democratic instability for the U-turn.

Meanwhile, a new poll from The New York Times and Siena College has found that, if the election were held immediately, 47per cent of voters would pick Harris and 48 per cent Trump, a narrowing of the gap between Biden and Trump.

Also on Thursday, Harris pressured Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reach a ceasefire deal for Gaza , declaring: “It is time for this war to end.”