Kamala Harris and Donald Trump have agreed to the rules for the upcoming presidential debate in Philadelphia, which will be aired on ABC. The network announced that both candidates have accepted the guidelines, including having muted microphones when the other candidate is speaking. Despite earlier disputes over the debate rules, both campaigns have agreed to the format, which will involve live microphones only for the candidate speaking and muted microphones for the other.
The debate will last 90 minutes with two commercial breaks and will be moderated by David Muir and Linsey Davis. There will be no audience present at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia where the debate will take place. Other rules include no opening statements, two-minute closing statements, standing behind podiums, no props or prewritten notes, no shared topics in advance, and no candidate questions allowed.
Trump had initially threatened to pull out of the debate, claiming he would not be given a fair opportunity. However, the coin toss determined that Trump would have the last closing statement and choose the order of statements. The debate is crucial as Pennsylvania, with its 19 electoral college votes, is a key swing state. The rules set by ABC ensure a structured format for the debate where both Harris and Trump will have equal opportunities to respond to questions.
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