Trump and Harris agree to rules for debate on ABC News after disagreement over muted microphones.

After weeks of negotiations and uncertainty, the first presidential debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris has finally been solidified. Scheduled to be conducted by ABC News on Sept. 10 at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia at 9 p.m. ET, this crucial event will be moderated by the esteemed journalists David Muir and Linsey Davis.

The journey to reach this agreement has been fraught with obstacles. Initially, Trump expressed his reluctance to participate in an ABC News-hosted debate, citing the network as “by far the nastiest and most unfair newscaster in the business.” Despite his campaign’s previous commitment to the debate and the network back in May, Trump’s stance shifted in late August, ultimately leading to his public acceptance of the debate invitation.

A prominent point of contention between the two campaigns has been the debate rules. Harris’s team advocated for both candidates’ microphones to remain on throughout the 90-minute debate, potentially resulting in more interruptions and direct exchanges. However, a compromise was reached, with both campaigns agreeing to rules closely resembling those of the previous debate between Biden and Trump on June 27. These rules include no studio audience and the muting of microphones when a candidate is not directly addressing a question.

So, what are the specific rules for the highly anticipated Sept. 10 debate?

According to the guidelines released by ABC News, the rules include:

• No studio audience.
• Microphones will only be activated for the candidate responding to a question.
• Only designated moderators will pose questions.
• Podium placement and closing statement order determined by a coin flip, with Trump securing the last closing statement and Harris selecting the podium on the right side of the stage.
• No opening statements, with each candidate granted two minutes for closing statements.
• Two minutes allotted for answering a question, followed by a two-minute rebuttal and an additional minute for clarification.
• Candidates will stand behind podiums without the presence of props or prepared notes, each equipped with a pad of paper, pen, and water bottle.
• Campaign staff prohibited from interacting with candidates during commercial breaks.

The utilization of a mute button during the debate has been a significant point of contention. While Harris initially advocated for live microphones throughout the event, a compromise was reached. In a letter to ABC News, the Harris campaign expressed their understanding of the necessity for muted microphones to avoid potential debate cancellations by Trump due to his preferences. Consequently, both campaigns accepted the agreed rules, including the utilization of muted microphones.

Trump’s stance on the issue was clarified during a recent campaign stop in Virginia, where he acknowledged the rules resembling those of the CNN debate and expressed his indifference towards muted microphones, stating, “It doesn’t matter to me, I’d rather have it probably on.”

Interestingly, Harris’s hesitance towards accepting muted microphones contrasts Biden’s previously stated stance. In May, the Biden campaign had insisted on the presence of this rule as a prerequisite for accepting a debate with Trump.

As the country anticipates this pivotal debate, questions arise regarding the possibility of additional debates before the November 5 election.

On Aug. 15, the Harris campaign announced the agreement between both campaigns for three debates leading up to Election Day, including two presidential debates between Harris and Trump, along with a vice presidential debate between Gov. Tim Walz and Sen. JD Vance.

While the date for the second presidential debate remains undetermined, NBC News is expected to host the event. The vice presidential debate, however, is set to be hosted by CBS News on Oct. 1.

In a surprising turn of events, Trump previously declared his withdrawal from the ABC News debate through a Truth Social post, proposing a Sept. 4 debate hosted by Fox News instead. Trump’s reasoning was anchored in his belief that the ABC debate, scheduled against Biden who withdrew in July, should be terminated, citing a conflict of interest due to his ongoing defamation lawsuit against George Stephanopoulos of ABC News. Nonetheless, Trump later announced three separate debates, including the Fox News event on Sept. 4, during a subsequent press conference.

Responding to Trump’s proposals, the Harris campaign confirmed participation in two presidential debates, prompting Trump’s announcement of Harris’s refusal to partake in the Fox News debate on Aug. 19.

At present, the Sept. 10 presidential debate and the Oct. 1 vice presidential debate are the only confirmed events on both campaigns’ debate calendars.