This moment has been four years in the making, with President Biden and former President Donald J. Trump standing on the debate stage as the latest flashpoint in their longstanding rivalry.
The debate, to be held by CNN from its Atlanta studios at 9 p.m. Eastern time on Thursday, will be a dramatic departure from past years and will take place without an audience before Trump and Biden formally accept their respective parties' nominations this summer.
Where can I see it?
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The New York Times will stream the debate, along with real-time commentary and analysis from its reporters.
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CNN will broadcast or stream the debate on all of its platforms, including its flagship cable channel, CNN International, CNN en Español and CNN Max. CNN will also stream the debate on CNN.com. No login or subscription is required to watch the stream.
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CNN also shares its feed with other broadcast and cable news networks, making the debate simulcast possible, meaning it will be available on Fox News, ABC News and possibly others.
Will Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appear onstage?
No. Because he failed to meet CNN's requirements, Ross Perot remains the last independent candidate to qualify for a presidential debate, and that was in 1992. In the debates, participants had to receive at least 15 percent support in four certified national polls and qualify in enough states to have a chance of winning the 270 electoral votes needed to win the presidency.
Who will moderate the debate?
The hosts are Jake Tapper and Dana Bash, both regulars on the CNN anchor desk and hosts of the network's Sunday political talk show “State of the Union.” Tapper is CNN's Washington bureau chief and Bash is the network's chief political correspondent.
