Kamala Harris and Donald Trump have accepted rules for the first presidential debate in Philadelphia next week to be broadcast on ABC, the network announced Wednesday, which will include muting microphones when the other candidate is speaking.
In a statement, ABC News said Democratic candidate Harris and her Republican rival Trump “have qualified to participate in the debate based on established criteria and have both agreed to the following debate rules.”
The Trump and Harris campaigns had been battling over debate guidelines, including whether microphones should be turned off when the candidates' turn isn't up to speak. Harris' campaign had previously argued for live, or “hot,” microphones, arguing they would “allow ample opportunity for substantive exchange between the candidates.” The Trump campaign, on the other hand, had been pushing for the microphones to be turned off.
A statement from ABC clarified that candidates' microphones would only be enabled for the candidate whose turn it was to speak, and would be muted when it was another candidate's turn.
The debate will last 90 minutes with two commercial breaks and will be moderated by ABC hosts David Muir and Lindsay Davis, who will be the only two asking questions, with no audience in the venue.
Trump, in his usual erratic fashion, has threatened to withdraw from the debate, claiming he was not given a fair chance. Last week, Trump posted on his Truth Social network that ABC News is “fake news” and attacked the news' “so-called Trump-hater panel” after watching Republican Senator Tom Cotton being interviewed by Jonathan Karl on ABC's This Week.
The debate will take place at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, a center dedicated to the study of the U.S. Constitution. Pennsylvania, which has 19 electoral votes, is one of the most crucial battleground states in the election, and Trump has visited the state frequently in recent weeks and months.
According to ABC News, other rules agreed to by both sides include no opening statements, two minutes for each candidate for closing statements, candidates standing behind the podium throughout the debate, no props or pre-written notes on stage, no sharing of agendas or questions in advance, and no candidates asking each other questions.
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ABC also said Harris and Trump would be given two minutes to answer the question, two minutes for a rebuttal, and another minute for a follow-up, clarification or response.
According to ABC, Trump won a virtual coin toss on Tuesday to decide who would take the podium and who would take the closing remarks. Trump got to choose the order and deliver the closing remarks last. Harris chose to be on the right side of the podium on screen, meaning Trump will be on the left.
