WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump agreed Wednesday to participate in two debates, the earliest debates in the history of the general election.
CNN confirmed the first debate will take place on June 27 at the studios in Atlanta and will be moderated by Jake Tapper and Dana Bash.
“To ensure candidates may maximize the time allotted in the debate, no audience will be present. Moderators for the debate and additional details will be announced at a later date,” CNN said.
Biden and Trump later said they accepted an invitation by ABC News to participate in a second debate on Sept. 10.
The news came just hours after Biden challenged Trump to two debates, using the moment to take a knock at Trump’s busy criminal trial schedule.
“Donald Trump lost two debates to me in 2020,” he said. “Since then, he hasn’t shown up for a debate. Now he’s acting like he wants to debate me again. Well, make my day, pal. I’ll even do it twice. So let’s pick the dates, Donald. I hear you’re free on Wednesdays.”
Trump responded quickly on Truth Social, accepting the terms of the debate.
“It is my great honor to accept the CNN Debate against Crooked Joe Biden, the WORST PRESIDENT in the History of the United States and a true Threat to Democracy, on June 27th,” Trump said. “Likewise, I accept the ABC News Debate against Crooked Joe on September 10th. Thank you, DJT!”
Independent Robert F. Kennedy Jr. posted that the networks were trying to exclude him from the debate stage, claiming the American people do not want another round of Trump-Biden debates.
“They are trying to exclude me from their debate because they are afraid I would win. Keeping viable candidates off the debate stage undermines democracy,” Kennedy wrote in a post on X.
