Democratic Presidential candidate Joe Biden and his Republican challenger, former President Donald Trump, are set to face off in a highly anticipated debate on Thursday night, June 27. This event offers voters a rare opportunity to compare the two oldest candidates ever to contest for the US presidency.
The 90-minute televised debate, marking the first time a sitting president debates a former president, will air at 9 p.m. ET (0100 GMT on Friday) on CNN. Given the record-breaking viewership of 84 million for Trump’s first debate in 2016 against Hillary Clinton, this event is expected to draw significant attention.
The debate occurs over four months before Election Day on Nov. 5.
Trump, aged 78, enters the debate under legal scrutiny, facing multiple criminal cases related to his efforts to overturn the 2020 election. His campaign will aim to assure undecided voters that he upholds democratic values despite Biden’s allegations.
Meanwhile, Biden, aged 81, faces pressure to perform well on the debate stage amid concerns about his age affecting his abilities. Recent polls have shown Biden trailing Trump in key battleground states, prompting a surge in Trump’s fundraising efforts following his legal convictions.
According to Biden’s campaign spokesperson Michael Tyler, the debate will highlight the contrast between Biden’s efforts to support Americans and Trump’s divisive campaign focused on revenge.
Trump’s strategy will likely emphasize criticism of Biden’s management of immigration at the southern US border and economic issues such as inflation. His campaign also plans to question Biden’s leadership during international crises in Gaza and Ukraine.
Campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt expressed confidence that the debate will showcase Trump’s strengths against Biden’s perceived weaknesses and failures.
The second and final debate of this year’s campaign is scheduled for September.
