Defying election tradition, Biden proposes debating Trump twice, wants first one in June.

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden says he is willing to debate Donald Trump twice before the general election — and he wants the first one to take place in June, setting the stage for the earliest head-to-head competition among the major parties' candidate in modern history.

Biden's campaign informed the Commission on Presidential Debates, which has hosted the matches since 1988, that it would not be participating in a series of debates scheduled for the fall.

In a statement, his campaign said it wants the first to debate to take place in mid to late June, when Trump's hush money trail in New York is "likely to be over" and after Biden returns from the Group of Seven Summit. It proposed a second debate in September "prior to the beginning of early voting." And it wants a vice presidential debate to take place in late July after the Republicans officially nominate Trump and his running mate to be on their ticket.

Trump's team had previously called for earlier debates on account of early voting.

Biden's campaign further stipulated that the president plans to participate in debates that are hosted by news outlets.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Biden proposes debating Trump twice. He wants the first one in June.