When is the presidential debate scheduled?

**Washington** — Former President Donald Trump was set to face off against President Biden in their second, and likely final, debate before the election. But an unexpected turn came in July.

On July 21, Mr. Biden announced he was ending his re-election campaign amid growing doubts from his own party regarding his ability to serve another term after a poorly received debate against Trump in June. In response, Democrats quickly rallied around Vice President Kamala Harris, who became their new nominee.

Now, Tuesday night’s debate — hosted by ABC News at Philadelphia’s National Constitution Center — will be the first confrontation between Harris and Trump, following weeks of negotiations about the event's structure.

### Here's what to know:

**What time is the debate?**  

The debate begins at 9 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday, Sept. 10.

**Who is moderating the debate?**  

"World News Tonight" anchor David Muir and ABC News Live "Prime" anchor Linsey Davis will moderate.

**Where is the debate taking place?**  

The debate will be held at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, a key battleground state. Harris and Trump are reportedly tied in Pennsylvania, which has 19 electoral votes.

**What are the rules of the debate?**  

The final sticking point between the campaigns was whether microphones should be muted. Trump’s team favored muting mics while opponents spoke, a rule Biden's campaign also backed in the previous debate. Harris' team eventually accepted this condition after expressing concerns it would favor Trump.

The debate format includes no opening statements, two-minute responses to moderators' questions, and two minutes for rebuttals. Microphones will be live only for the speaker's turn, and candidates will be warned for excessive interruptions.

A coin toss gave Trump the last closing statement, and Harris chose the left lectern (right side of the viewers' screen). There will be no live audience, and the debate will last 90 minutes with two commercial breaks.

**What topics will be discussed?**  

No specific topics have been announced, allowing moderators to cover a wide range of issues.

**How to watch the debate:**  

The debate will air on ABC and several other networks, starting at 8 p.m. ET with pre-debate coverage. It will also stream on ABC News Live, Disney+, Hulu, CBS News 24/7, Paramount+, and CBSNews.com.

**When is the next debate?**  

A vice presidential debate between Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Ohio Sen. JD Vance is set for Oct. 1, hosted by CBS News. A second debate between Harris and Trump may take place in October, though details are still being finalized.    

#when is the presidential debate, #debate tonight time, #what time is debate tonight, #what time is debate tonight, #how to watch the presidential debate, #debate time tonight, #kamala trump debate, #2024 presidential debate schedule, #time of debate tonight, #trump debate time, #trump kamala debate