Trump has agreed to the debate after weeks of accusations from the Harris camp that he was avoiding it.Biden exited the race after Trump’s dominant performance in their June debate. Trump’s agreement to debate Harris follows his initial reluctance and a recent shift in his stance on the debate format.
Recent polls show Harris leading Trump by up to six points, a boost attributed to her campaign’s successful nomination of Tim Walz as her running mate. Despite initially refusing to debate on ABC and claiming his agreement with the network was terminated, Trump has now pressured Harris to agree to additional debates in September.
Here’s all you need to know about the crucial debate-
Where and when can you watch Harris v/s Trump debate
The debate will be broadcast live by ABC on Tuesday, September 10, during primetime. It will also be available for streaming on ABC News Live, the ABC app, and the ABC website, as well as on Hulu and via connected devices like Roku, Apple TV, and Amazon Fire TV.
The host and format of the debate are yet to be announced. The previous Trump-Biden debate featured a format with speaking time limits, no live audience, and muted microphones to avoid interruptions. Whether this format will continue is still unclear.
Debate location and additional debates
The location for the debate is likely to be in a key swing state, though it has not been officially confirmed. Trump has proposed two additional debates on September 4 and 25, to be hosted by NBC and Fox. He expressed a desire for three debates, saying, “We’d like to do three debates. We think we should do three debates.”
Debate topics and reactions
Major topics are expected to include the economy, Eastern European and Middle Eastern conflicts, and abortion rights. Harris will emphasize abortion rights as a critical issue, while Trump is likely to criticize the Biden-Harris administration’s handling of immigration and inflation.
Harris expressed confidence about the debate, saying she is “glad” Trump has committed to it. “I’m looking forward to it and hope he shows up,” she remarked. Trump has previously suggested that Harris may not be intelligent enough for the debate.
Vice-presidential debate
In the vice-presidential race, JD Vance, the Republican nominee, and Tim Walz, the Democratic nominee, have not yet agreed on a TV debate. Walz has shown eagerness to debate Vance, who has yet to commit, suggesting he might debate Harris instead, as she “doesn’t yet know whether she’ll be her party’s presidential nominee.”
