Biden & Trump Presidential Debate 2024: How & When to Watch

Almost four years after their first stage match, Joe Biden and Donald Trump will take their podiums once again to deliver their messages to voters in the 2024 presidential election.

CNN and Max will host a presidential debate between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump on Thursday, June 27. The debate will air live on CNN and stream simultaneously on Max as the two oldest presidential candidates in history go toe-to-toe.

CNN is already putting controls in place to make the most of the allotted time for the debate. Here’s everything we know about it.

When Will Biden & Trump Debate Take Place?

The 2024 presidential debate between the Democratic and Republican candidates will take place live on Thursday, June 27 at 9/8c.

The debate will be held in CNN’s Atlanta studios, but there will be no studio audience. That means no live reactions from the crowd in response to Biden and Trump’s answers and no questions from audience members. It’s possible that questions from voters could be submitted in advance for the moderators to ask on viewers’ behalf.

2024 Presidential Debate Moderators

The debate will be moderated by CNN’s Jake Tapper and Dana Bash.

How to Watch the Biden-Trump Presidential Debate

Viewers will be able to watch the 2024 presidential debate on multiple platforms. You can tune in on CNN, Max, CNN International, CNN en Español, CNN Max, CNN.com. MSNBC on Peacock and MSNBC.com will also stream the debate. ABC News will host the second debate on September 10.

While the debate is hosted by CNN, but some networks will be simulcasting the CNN live event. Networks will also be providing pre- and post-debate coverage and analysis of the debate. Here’s how and when to watch:

ABC News

ABC, ABC News Live, the 24/7 streaming news network, and Hulu will be airing the debate on Thursday, June 27, from 7 p.m. to 12 a.m. ET, with the debate itself beginning at 9/8c. ABC network coverage will kick off with a one-hour linear and streaming special report, “Battle for the White House,” beginning at 8/7c. Immediately following ABC News’ presentation of the CNN Presidential Debate simulcast, the network and streaming channel will provide a post-debate program with reporting on and analysis of the candidates, issues, and state of the race.

The coverage will be led by World News Tonight anchor David Muir along with ABC News’ Linsey Davis, Mary Bruce, Martha Raddatz, Jonathan Karl, Pierre Thomas, Matt Gutman, Rebecca Jarvis, Rachel Scott, Terry Moran, James Longman, Mireya Villarreal, and Rick Klein. Contributors Donna Brazile and Reince Priebus will provide analysis for the network and streaming coverage.

CBS News

CBS will simulcast the debate on the CBS network and on CBS News 24/7, the streaming network. The network will also be giving pre- and post-debate coverage beginning at 5/4c on CBS and CBS News 24/7. CBS News digital platforms, including CBSNews.com, the CBS News app, and CBS News social channels will deliver dedicated coverage ahead, during and after the debate. Coverage of the debate will stream everywhere CBS News 24/7 is distributed, including Paramount+ and Pluto TV.

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Norah O’Donnell will anchor coverage during debate night from the CBS News New York City Studios in Times Square. Joining her in the studio will be Gayle King, John Dickerson, Margaret Brennan, Major Garrett, and Ed O’Keefe, with contributions from Robert Costa, Nancy Cordes, Joel Payne, and Terry Sullivan.

CBS News Radio’s pre-debate coverage will begin at 8:30/7:30c. World News Roundup Anchor Steve Kathan will lead the anchored coverage team. He will be joined by CBS News Radio White House Reporter Linda Kenyon. CBS News Radio will air CBS’ simulcast of the debate.

CBS Newspath reporters Jared Hill and Skyler Henry will bring all the action in Atlanta to 200+ CBS Affiliates. Marathon coverage runs from 4 a.m. ET on Thursday through 4 p.m. ET on Friday, June 28.

NBC News

Across the NBCU News Group, NBC News, NBC News NOW, and Noticias Telemundo will carry the debate and special coverage across their platforms. MSNBC on Peacock and MSNBC.com will stream the debate live.

On the morning of the presidential debate, Jonathan Lemire will kick off special coverage on Way Too Early live from Atlanta starting at 5 a.m. ET. Morning Joe will continue MSNBC’s special coverage with in-depth reporting and analysis. The next morning, on Friday, June 28, Morning Joe will feature special post-debate coverage with reaction and analysis.

Rachel Maddow leads the MSNBC pre- and post-debate special coverage starting at 7/6c. Jonathan Lemire, Chris Jansing and Alex Wagner report live from Atlanta.

Fox News

Fox News is also hosting the CNN simulcast starting at 9/8c. FOX News Sunday’s Shannon Bream will anchor coverage of the debate on the FOX Network which will also simulcast the CNN debate. At 7/6c, Fox News will kick off debate preview coverage with an early edition of Jesse Watters Primetime followed by FOX News Democracy 2024 at 8/7c led by Bret Baier, Martha MacCallum, Dana Perino, Jesse Watters, and Sean Hannity, with contributions from Brit Hume, Kellyanne Conway, Harold Ford, Jr., and Karl Rove. After the debate, Hannity will host the 11/10c hour live on FNC to give event analysis.

Specifics for the Debate

CNN has set certain standards for this debate, including the fact that both candidates’ microphones will be muted when it is not their allotted time to talk (no doubt, this is a reaction to the 2020 debate and the many, many interruptions). The debate will be 90 minutes long, and there will also be two commercial breaks during it, but the candidates will not be allowed to confer with their staffers during them. The only materials the candidates can have at their podiums are pen, paper, and water. There will be no studio audience.

Rules for Qualification for the 2024 Presidential Debate

CNN says the following regarding the qualifications Biden and Trump must meet to participate in the debate:

“To qualify for participation, candidates must fulfill the requirements outlined in Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution of the United States; file a Statement of Candidacy with the Federal Election Commission; a candidate’s name must appear on a sufficient number of state ballots to reach the 270 electoral vote threshold to win the presidency prior to the eligibility deadline; agree to accept the rules and format of the debate; and receive at least 15 percent in four separate national polls of registered or likely voters that meet CNN’s standards for reporting.”

In regards to polling about the debate, CNN has listed the outlets from which it will accept polling information:

“Polls that meet CNN editorial standards and will be considered qualifying polls include those sponsored by: CNN, ABC News, CBS News, Fox News, Marquette University Law School, Monmouth University, NBC News, the New York Times/Siena College, NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist College, Quinnipiac University, the Wall Street Journal, and the Washington Post. The polling window to determine eligibility for the debate opened March 13, 2024, and closes seven days before the date of the debate.”

On June 20, the network announced that third-party candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. failed to qualify and will not participate.