ABC News plans to mute the microphones of both Donald Trump and Kamala Harris while their opponent speaks during an upcoming presidential debate, as outlined in the formal rules obtained by CNN. The Trump campaign has accepted these rules for the Sep. 10 matchup, but the Harris campaign is still in discussions with the network regarding the microphone issue. The Harris campaign has raised concerns that Trump’s handlers may not trust him to spar live with Harris and have requested ABC to keep the mics muted, potentially leading to a third debate cancellation.
Harris campaign senior advisor Brian Fallon stated that the rules sent to the campaigns were a draft that both sides need to reach an agreement on. He mentioned that both candidates have expressed a desire to have their microphones unmuted during the debate and questioned why Trump’s staff was overruling the president’s comments. ABC has not provided any public comments on the matter. Despite Trump’s acceptance of the microphone rules during an event on Monday, his social media post the next day suggested that the rules would be the same as the last CNN debate, where Biden’s microphone was muted while Trump spoke.
ABC’s rules mirror the format of CNN’s presidential debate in June, where the candidates’ microphones were muted while their opponent spoke. The issue of hot mics has become a sticking point as ABC prepares for the high-stakes debate next month in Philadelphia. The Harris campaign has publicly advocated for the microphones to remain unmuted throughout the event for substantive exchanges. Behind the scenes, the Trump campaign continued to advocate for the rules they had already agreed to with ABC News, with the formal list of debate rules being accepted by the campaign.
In addition to the muted microphones, the 90-minute debate will not feature a live audience. ABC has allowed other television networks to simulcast the event, which will include two commercial breaks. Podium placement and order of closing statements will be determined by a coin flip, and the candidates will not be allowed to have notes on stage with them or visit with campaign staff during breaks. Each candidate will have two minutes for answers, two minutes for rebuttals, and one minute for follow-ups. They also cannot ask questions of each other during the debate. The rules aim to maintain a fair and structured debate environment between Trump and Harris.
