ABC News has outlined the rules for the highly anticipated Sept. 10 debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and President Donald Trump. The 90-minute event will be moderated by David Muir and Linsey Davis and held at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. This will mark the first face-to-face debate between the two candidates, with the debate set to air live at 9 p.m. ET.
Unlike previous debates, there will be no audience, and microphones will only be live for the candidate speaking at the time. After a virtual coin toss, Trump won the right to give the last closing statement, while Harris chose the right-side podium on stage. There will be no opening statements, and closing remarks will be two minutes per candidate.
Each candidate will have two minutes to answer each question, followed by two-minute rebuttals and an additional minute for follow-ups. Candidates are not allowed to bring any notes or props but will have a pen, paper, and water. No staff will be permitted to interact with the candidates during the commercial breaks.
The debate will be streamed on ABC News Live, Disney+, and Hulu, with a pre-debate show titled “Race for the White House” airing at 8 p.m. The debate is seen as a key moment as both campaigns ramp up efforts ahead of the election.