Just days ago, presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said it would be a “dream” to debate Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders. 

Apparently, it really was only a dream. 

On Friday afternoon, Trump retracted the commitment he made Wednesday night on ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” to debate the senator from Vermont. In a statement issued by his campaign, Trump said it “seems inappropriate that I would debate the second place finisher.” He also complained that television networks appeared unwilling to donate millions of dollars to charity in exchange for hosting such an event. 



“Therefore, as much as I want to debate Bernie Sanders — and it would be an easy payday — I will wait to debate the first place finisher in the Democratic Party, probably Crooked Hillary Clinton, or whoever it may be,” Trump said in the statement.

Sanders, who has failed to convince Clinton to debate him prior to next month’s California primary, expressed disappointment at the lost opportunity.

“Well, Mr. Trump, what are you afraid of?” Sanders told reporters at a press conference Friday afternoon in California. “If you’re so tough, let’s sit down and have that debate.”