President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump have announced they will participate in two campaign debates this year, with the first set to take place on June 27 hosted by CNN and the second on Sept. 10 hosted by ABC.
The decision to hold the debates outside of the traditional nonpartisan commission that has organized them for more than three decades comes after both campaigns and television networks expressed frustrations over the commission’s rules and processes. The June debate will be held at 9 p.m. ET in CNN’s Atlanta studios with no audience present, while ABC has not yet released details about its event.
In order to qualify for the debates, candidates must reach at least 15% in four separate national polls. Former President Trump has been vocal about wanting more debates, suggesting one be held each month leading up to the election. He has also agreed to a third debate hosted by Fox News on October 2nd and has challenged Biden to agree to additional debates.
Biden’s campaign has long criticized the nonpartisan commission for past rule violations and their insistence on holding debates before a live audience. The Commission on Presidential Debates has stated that their mission is to ensure substantive debates take place and reach a wide television, radio, and streaming audience.
The upcoming debates are sure to be closely watched as the two candidates face off on important issues leading up to the election. Stay tuned for more details on the debates as they unfold.
