The highly anticipated first 2024 presidential debate between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump is set to take place Thursday night.
The debate, which begins at 8:00 pm CST on June 27, will be the first time the two men who have sat in the Oval Office will face off in a televised presidential debate. It will also be historic because it will be the first not hosted by the Commission on Presidential Debates, the nonpartisan organization that has run presidential debates since the 1988 presidential election.
The debate comes at an unusually early time on the political calendar, meaning neither Biden nor Trump have formally accepted their party's nomination.
The agreement on the schedule comes after Biden announced he would not take part in the fall's presidential debates organized by the bipartisan commission that has hosted debates for more than three decades. Instead, the Biden campaign suggested that media outlets host debates between the leading Democratic and Republican candidates.
Before the debate begins, here's what you need to know about the debate, including how to watch.
What time is the presidential debate?
The first presidential debate will take place on June 27th at 8pm CST.
Where and how to watch the presidential debate
The first presidential debate will air on CNN and stream on Max, as well as livestream in the player listed above and on NBC Chicago.
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 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.
Will there be a presidential debate yet?
Both Trump and Biden have agreed to hold a second presidential debate on September 10, moderated by ABC News.
