Photo: Alamy
ABC News released the full list of rules on Tuesday for the upcoming presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and President Donald Trump.
The Sept. 10 debate will take place at the National Convention Center in Philadelphia at 9 p.m. Eastern Time.
The debate will be moderated by “World News Tonight” anchor David Muir and ABC News Live “Prime” anchor Linsey Davis.
The 90-minute debate will include two commercial breaks, featuring the first meeting between Harris and Trump.
According to a news release from ABC News, the following rules will be in place:
- The debate will be 90 minutes with two commercial breaks.
- The two seated moderators, David Muir and Linsey Davis, will be the only people asking questions.
- A coin flip was held virtually on Tuesday, Sept. 3, to determine podium placement and order of closing statements; former President Donald Trump won the coin toss and chose to select the order of statements. The former president will offer the last closing statement, and Vice President Harris selected the right podium position on screen (stage left).
- Candidates will be introduced by the moderators.
- The candidates enter upon introduction from opposite sides of the stage; the incumbent party will be introduced first.
- No opening statements; closing statements will be two minutes per candidate.
- Candidates will stand behind podiums for the duration of the debate.
- Props or prewritten notes are not allowed onstage.
- No topics or questions will be shared in advance with campaigns or candidates.
- Candidates will be given a pen, a pad of paper and a bottle of water.
- Candidates will have two-minute answers to questions, two-minute rebuttals, and one extra minute for follow-ups, clarifications, or responses.
- Candidates’ microphones will be live only for the candidate whose turn it is to speak and muted when the time belongs to another candidate.
- Candidates will not be permitted to ask questions of each other.
- Campaign staff may not interact with candidates during commercial breaks.
- Moderators will seek to enforce timing agreements and ensure a civilized discussion.
- There will be no audience in the room.
The debate will air live on ABC. It will also stream live on Hulu, Disney+ and ABC News Live.
The ABC debate is currently the only presidential debate scheduled. Trump previously stated that he agreed to three dates.
“It is important to have debates. We have agreed with Fox on a date of September 4. We have agreed with NBC, fairly full agreement subject to them, on September 10. And we have agreed with ABC on September 25,” Trump said.
Vice presidential candidates Tim Walz and JD Vance are scheduled for one debate on Oct. 1.
