Kamala Harris and Donald Trump will face off in a presidential debate on Tuesday night, their first and likely only meeting before the November election. The two candidates are currently neck and neck in the polls, and the debate is widely seen as a crucial moment in the 2024 campaign.
The vice president is expected to use the 90-minute debate as an opportunity to detail his campaign platform and further present himself as a different candidate to Joe Biden, with the Trump campaign hoping to portray the former president as “happy.”
In a close race that may be decided by a tiny slice of the country, even a small gain for either candidate could mean big things. The debate comes just 55 days before the Nov. 5 election.
Here’s what else you need to know about tonight’s presidential debate.
When is the Harris vs. Trump debate?
The 90-minute debate is scheduled to begin at 9:00 PM ET on Tuesday, September 10. The debate will be held at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, which specializes in the study of the US Constitution.
How to watch the Harris vs. Trump presidential debate in the US
The debate will be broadcast live on ABC at 9:00 PM ET. ABC will stream the debate live for free on its website, app, Disney+ and Hulu. Major news networks are expected to broadcast the debate during primetime. PBS will broadcast the debate live at 9:00 PM ET.
The Guardian has a team of journalists in Philadelphia who will be covering the debate with live blogs, live analysis and news.
How to watch the debate outside the US
In the UK, the debate will be broadcast by the BBC and shown live by Channel 4. (The debate begins at 2am UK time.)
In Australia, the debate can be watched on Channel 9 and 9Now, as well as on SBS. It starts at 11am Sydney time.
Who will moderate the debate?
ABC presenters David Muir and Lindsay Davis will moderate the debate. Muir is the host of ABC’s World News Tonight and Davis is the host of Sunday’s World News Tonight.
What are the rules of the debate?
The Trump and Harris campaigns had been battling over debate guidelines, with Harris’ campaign previously arguing for live, or “hot,” microphones, arguing they would “allow ample opportunity for substantive exchange between the candidates,” while the Trump campaign had urged against using live microphones, as was done in her first debate with Biden.
An ABC statement clarified that both candidates’ microphones will be muted during the debate while their opponents are speaking.
Other rules agreed upon by the two sides, according to ABC News, include:
There will be no opening statements, and closing statements will be limited to two minutes per candidate.
Candidates will stand behind the podium throughout the debate.
No props or pre-written notes are permitted on stage
Topics and questions are not shared in advance
Candidates are not allowed to ask each other questions
Candidates are given two minutes for questions, two minutes for rebuttals, and one more minute for any follow-up, explanation, or response. Trump, who won a virtual coin toss, will deliver the second closing remarks. Harris has chosen to stand to the right of the on-screen podium, meaning Trump will stand to the left.
What’s next on the election calendar?
Vice presidential candidates J.D. Vance and Tim Walz are scheduled to debate on October 1. The vice presidential debate will be hosted by CBS News and take place in New York City.
It is unclear whether Harris and Trump will attend the second debate.
