Former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris are at odds over the rules for their upcoming debate scheduled for Sept. 10. Trump has suggested that he may pull out of the debate if the candidates’ microphones are muted when it is not their turn to speak. Harris’ campaign believes that both candidates’ microphones should be on throughout the debate, while Trump stated that his campaign agreed to the same rules used in the previous presidential debate with President Biden hosted by CNN.
The Harris campaign suspects that Trump’s advisers are pushing for muted microphones because they do not believe he can act presidential for the full duration of the debate. Despite this, Harris’ team is ready to handle Trump’s interruptions and lies in real-time without the need for a mute button. Trump, on the other hand, expressed that he preferred to have the microphones on, but he agreed to the same rules as the previous debate. Changes to the debate format are allegedly coming from Harris’ campaign, as they denied requesting a “seated debate” as claimed by Trump’s campaign.
Trump proposed three debates with Harris on different networks, but Harris has only agreed to participate in the ABC-hosted match-up on Sept. 10. While Trump has hinted at backing out of the ABC debate, a senior adviser with his campaign confirmed that he still intends to participate. Trump cited conflicts of interest, such as a defamation lawsuit against ABC News and host George Stephanopoulos, as reasons for his hesitation. He also mentioned the potential for a larger audience at a Fox News-hosted debate, unlike the previous debate held in a television studio with limited attendees.
The vice-presidential nominees, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, are scheduled to debate on Oct. 1, broadcast on CBS. The ongoing disagreement over the debate format and rules reflects the tension between the Trump and Harris campaigns as they prepare to face off in a high-stakes political event. Despite the differences in opinion on microphone muting and other logistics, both candidates are expected to engage in a spirited debate leading up to the general election. The outcome of these debates could influence voter perceptions and ultimately impact the results of the election.
