Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump will be participating in their first debate on Tuesday, with ABC News as the host network. The rules of the debate include no mics being muted, no studio audience, and no opening statements. Harris initially wanted the mics to be turned on even when a candidate is not speaking, but ultimately agreed to have them muted. The Harris campaign also denied claims made by Trump’s team that they wanted to change seating and use notes during the debate.
The moderators, David Muir and Linsey Davis, will be the only ones asking questions, with no topics or questions shared in advance with the candidates. Trump has claimed without evidence that Harris will receive questions in advance of the debate, sparking memories of past controversies surrounding leaked debate topics. The two candidates will not be allowed to have pre-written notes on stage but will be provided with a pen, pad of paper, and a bottle of water.
Trump has stated that he will allow Harris to speak during the debate, following the same rules as the previous debate between Trump and Biden. Both candidates will enter the stage from opposite sides and will not interact with their campaign staff during commercial breaks. Ultimately, the rules for the upcoming debate have been agreed upon by both the Trump and Harris campaigns, paving the way for their much-anticipated face-off.
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