I actually agree with this, at least to some extent. Biden's been letting Trump dominate the news cycle, which is his biggest mistake. Trump's a fool to agree to debate - he's leading!
I'd also blame the news media for covering every fart he makes. They've been guilty of this since 2015 because he is the ultimate form of clickbait and they are desperate for views. If Trump wasn't normalized by the media as soon as he declared a good chunk of Mexicans rapists, he'd never have had the Presidency. I feel the mainstream media is just as guilty as Trump himself for creating and building MAGA.
And I agree, Trump only really stands to lose if he debates Joe.
I don't really see an upside. Why give your opponent air time when you're leading?
Unless, of course, you yourself are scared the polls are wrong. Or you're just that deeply insecure and easily led by ego.
If Biden comes off like he did at the SOTU, or is even basically just coherent, he'll be seen as the winner; in the public's perception of Biden, the bar is that low. And Biden will be, I feel, in attack mode the entire debate.
Trump is kinda used to weak opponents like Jeb or "Little Marco", who are overwhelmed by him; we saw in 2020 Biden isn't that way; or people who hold to traditional debate standards like Hillary; Biden as we saw in 2020 isn't afraid to go low if he has to. I can actually see a curse or two being slung at these debates given the absolute and accrued animosity between these two.
Also, Trump of 2024 isn't 2016 Trump. He doesn't himself have the same ADHD manic energy he used to. If he comes off the way he has in recent rallies, and Biden comes off just basically oriented to place and time, he'll lose the debate.