ABC News has released the official rules for the upcoming debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and President Donald Trump, set to take place on Sept. 10. The debate, moderated by David Muir and Linsey Davis, will be held at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. This will be the first in-person debate between Harris and Trump and will last 90 minutes with two commercial breaks.
One notable feature of the debate is the absence of an audience in the room. Candidates will stand behind podiums and will not be allowed to use props or pre-written notes. Each will be given a pen, pad of paper, and water. Campaign staff will not be allowed to interact with the candidates during breaks.
A coin toss determined that Trump will deliver the final closing statement, while Harris chose the right-side podium. There will be no opening statements, and closing remarks will be limited to two minutes per candidate. Each candidate will have two minutes to answer questions with two-minute rebuttals and a minute for follow-up responses.
The event will be broadcast live at 9 p.m. ET on ABC News, Disney+, and Hulu, with a pre-debate special starting at 8 p.m. hosted by ABC’s top political reporters. The debate is expected to be a critical moment in the 2024 election season.
