WASHINGTON — A technology investment company has offered to put up the $10 million for charity that Donald Trump said on Thursday would be needed to hold a debate with Bernie Sanders.

Trump told late-night TV host Jimmy Kimmel earlier this week that he would participate in a debate with Sanders.

After Sanders agreed to do so, Trump, on Thursday, said $10 million would need to go to charity for him to actually participate in the debate.

“Yesterday, Mr Trump asked for a $10 [million] donation to charity in order to accept Mr Sanders’ challenge to debate him,” Richie Hecker, chairman and CEO of Traction and Scale, told BuzzFeed News in a statement. “We are willing to offer that $10 [million] donation in return for the opportunity to host the debate.”


The proposal is unusual because neither party has formally chosen its nominee, and because Sanders is extremely unlikely to be the Democratic Party nominee given that Hillary Clinton has significantly more pledged delegates than Sanders and the overwhelming number of unpledged delegates have said they will back her at the convention.

Bob Arum’s Top Rank Promotions has offered to promote a proposed Donald Trump vs. Bernie Sanders debate, pledging to donate the proceeds, a minimum of $20 million, to charity.

“It’s the debate of the century between two of the top pound-for-pound politicians in the country — Mr. Trump, the Republican Party’s presumptive nominee and Senator Sanders, the Democratic candidate,” Mr. Arum said in a press release. “We have two contenders ready, willing and able to go mano a mano over the most important issues facing the United States. And I am ready to promote it.”

The idea of the debate was first proposed Wednesday night during Mr. Trump’s appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live.” Asked if he would consider the matchup, Mr. Trump responded: “We would have such high ratings and I think I should take that money and give it to some worthy charity.”