The first presidential debate of the 2024 election cycle is scheduled for next week, with President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump set to take the stage.
This month's presidential debate will be historic in that it was not hosted by the Commission on Presidential Debates, the nonpartisan organization that has run presidential debates since the 1988 presidential election.
Here's everything you need to know about the 2024 presidential debates.
When was the first presidential debate?
The first presidential debate will take place on June 27th at 9pm ET.
How to watch the first presidential debate?
The first presidential debate will be broadcast on CNN and streamed on Max.
Will there be an audience at the first presidential debate?
The first presidential debate will take place in CNN's Atlanta studios, with no audience in attendance.
“There will be no spectators to allow the candidates to make the most of their allotted time in the debate,” CNN said in a press release.
Who will moderate the first presidential debate?
The first presidential debate will be moderated by CNN hosts Jake Tapper and Dana Bash.
Why is the first presidential debate in June?
Presidential debates traditionally take place in the fall, with three scheduled between September and October.
But this year, the Trump and Biden campaigns decided to hold the debate early in the election cycle to allow for a meeting before early voting and mail-in voting began.
The debate was hosted by CNN, which sent invitations to both Trump and Biden. Independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was not eligible to participate in the debate because he did not meet CNN's eligibility requirements. The move rules out the Commission on Presidential Debates, which had scheduled three debates in the fall.
Are presidential debates necessary?
No. There's nothing in the Constitution about presidential debates, and Congress has never passed a law requiring them, but debates are a traditional part of modern American politics.
Will there be a second presidential debate?
Both Trump and Biden have agreed to hold a second presidential debate on September 10, moderated by ABC News.
