Rules established for ABC debate by Trump and Harris campaigns

Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump have agreed to the ground rules set by ABC for their upcoming debate in Philadelphia. The event will follow the same format as the June debate between Trump and President Joe Biden. The debate will have muted microphones, with only the candidate speaking having a live microphone. Trump has indicated that his approach to the debate will depend on the fairness of ABC News. Both campaigns have agreed to the rules, avoiding a potential stalemate. The 90-minute debate will take place without an audience and will be moderated by David Muir and Linsey Davis of ABC News. Both candidates will have two minutes to answer questions and two-minute rebuttals. The rules for the debate match those of the previous debate between Trump and Biden. The debate almost faced a potential derailment over the muted microphone issue, but both campaigns ultimately agreed to the rules. Trump had previously hinted at backing out of the debate over treatment of Sen. Tom Cotton in an ABC interview but later relented. The podium placement and closing statement order for the debate were determined by a virtual coin flip, with Trump choosing to speak last during closing statements.

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