In a bold move, President Joe Biden has thrown down the gauntlet, challenging his expected 2024 rival, former President Donald Trump, to not one but two debates.
This move marks a major shift in the traditional debate format as Biden seeks to take control of the narrative and confront Trump directly.
Within hours of the challenge, CNN announced that it would host the first debate on June 27 in Georgia, a key battleground state where Trump faces criminal indictment for interfering with the 2020 election results.
The debate will be held without an audience, and participating candidates must meet the eligibility criteria of appearing on a sufficient number of state ballots to reach the 270 electoral vote threshold.
CNN Secures Historic Debate Between Biden and Trump for June 27
Trump quickly accepted the challenge despite his ongoing criminal trial in New York, which does not convene on Wednesdays. Biden took a jab at Trump’s scheduling conflicts, saying, “Donald Trump lost two debates to me in 2020.
Since then, he hasn’t shown up for a debate. Now he’s acting like he wants to debate me again. Well, make my day, pal. I’ll even do it twice. So let’s pick the dates, Donald. I hear you’re free on Wednesdays.”
Trump responded on Truth Social, calling Biden the “WORST debater I have ever faced” and accepting the challenge for two debates in June and September.
The Biden campaign clarified that the debates will be independent events hosted by news organizations, not the traditional Commission on Presidential Debates.
The campaign also addressed the decision to host debates without audiences, stating that the focus should be on the American voters watching at home, not entertainment for an in-person audience. This development marks a major shift in the election cycle as the two de facto major party nominees prepare to face off in a highly anticipated debate.
