Everything You Need to Know About the Presidential Debate

The long-awaited matchup between Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican nominee former President Donald Trump will air on ABC on Sept. 10, just two months before the election.
The political landscape has changed radically since the first presidential debate between Trump and President Joe Biden, which kicked off a pressure campaign that culminated in Biden bowing out of the race on July 21.
Since the first debate, Trump survived an attempt on his life, Harris rapidly rose to the top of the Democratic ticket, and both campaigns have shifted their messaging to respond to the new Democratic standard-bearer. Both candidates have also chosen their running mates.
Tuesday’s debate will be the first showdown between Trump and Harris, and unless they agree to another, it could be the last.
ABC confirmed the same rules will be in place for next week’s 90-minute debate. In addition to a pen and paper, candidates will only be allowed a bottle of water on stage.
During the debate, only moderators Muir and Davis are allowed to ask questions. Each candidate will have two minutes to answer individual questions, two minutes for a rebuttal, and another minute for a response, clarification, or follow-up.
ABC held a coin toss on Sept. 3 to establish podium placement and the sequence of the candidates’ two-minute closing statements. Since Trump won the flip, he chose to make the final closing statement while Harris opted to be on the right side of the television screen.
“What Trump needs to do is begin to define Harris by her record, both in the Biden administration and in what she said and did as a senator,” Henry Olsen, a senior fellow with the Ethics and Public Policy Center, told The Epoch Times. “And what Harris needs to do is show she can stand on her own. She needs to be able to explain herself well.”
During a Fox News town hall on Sept. 4, Trump said he would allow Harris room to talk but that he hopes ABC “will be fair” during the debate. He has previously accused the network of political bias.
Harris has reduced her campaigning schedule in recent weeks to prepare for the debate, her campaign said in late August. She has conducted mock debate sessions with longtime Hillary Clinton aide Philippe Reines who also stood in for Trump in 2016.
However, voters will be able to see Republican vice president nominee Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) and Democratic vice president nominee Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz spar on CBS News on Oct. 1, which will be hosted in New York City. Network anchors Norah O’Donnell and Margaret Brennan will moderate.