President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump agreed on Wednesday to participate in two campaign debates. The first debate, hosted by CNN, will take place on June 27, followed by a second debate on Sept. 10, hosted by ABC. This sets the stage for their initial face-to-face encounter as presidential candidates, scheduled just over a month from now.
The agreement on the debate schedule came quickly after Biden announced he would not take part in the fall debates organized by the nonpartisan commission that has traditionally managed them for more than thirty years. Instead, Biden’s campaign suggested that media organizations directly arrange debates between the expected Democratic and Republican nominees.
The debate is unusually early in the political calendar, occurring before either Biden or Trump officially accepts their party’s nomination.
Within hours, Biden confirmed his participation in the CNN debate, challenging Trump with the remark, “Over to you, Donald.”
Donald Trump at Manhattan Criminal Court (Via Tom Blaine/Shutterstock)
Trump, who had previously stated his willingness to debate Biden anywhere and anytime, announced on Truth Social that he would also be there, adding enthusiastically, “Let’s get ready to Rumble!!!” Shortly afterward, they agreed to the second debate on ABC.
In a playful jab on X, Biden mentioned that Trump said he would handle his transportation, to which Biden replied humorously, “I’ll bring my plane, too. I plan on keeping it for another four years,” referencing the perks of being the incumbent president.
The speed with which these debate arrangements were made reflects the confidence of each candidate and their teams in their ability to perform well in a direct confrontation.
Trump’s team believes the debates will highlight concerns about Biden’s age and capability, while Biden’s team thinks Trump’s provocative language will remind voters why they elected him out of the White House four years ago.
