Biden and Trump agree to June and September presidential debates as RFK cries foul

Joe Biden and Donald Trump have agreed to participate in two televised presidential debates in June and September.

CNN announced the 27 June event on Tuesday, and said it would take place in the key swing state of Georgia.

A second debate on 10 September will be hosted by ABC.

The announcement came shortly after President Biden laid out his terms for facing his predecessor in a live forum ahead of November’s election.

CNN said there will be no audience at June’s debate in Atlanta, which will be moderated by hosts Jake Tapper and Dana Bash.

ABC has yet to announce more details on its debate.

Robert F Kennedy Jr, who is running as an independent, accused the Biden and Trump campaigns of “colluding” to exclude him.

Mr Trump said on his social media platform Truth Social, external that he had also accepted an invitation from Fox News for a third debate on 2 October. However, Mr Biden’s campaign chairwoman, Jen O’Malley Dillon, said the president had “made his terms clear for two one-on-one debates, and Donald Trump accepted those terms”.

Mr Biden proposed two televised debates in June and September. His rival quickly accepted, before suggesting they debate every month.

“We believe there should be more than just two opportunities for the American people to hear more from the candidates themselves,” the Trump campaign said.

Both candidates have traded barbs on social media, with Mr Trump stating: “Just tell me when. Let’s get ready to rumble!!!”

Mr Biden said Mr Trump was “free on Wednesdays” – a reference to his criminal trial in New York, while Mr Trump claimed his rival was the “worst debater” who “can’t put two sentences together”.

Mr Biden’s proposal of two debates breaks several established traditions.

It bypasses the presidential debate commission, which since 1988 has scheduled timings and had already set dates and locations for three debates in the autumn.

Mr Biden’s team wants the two televised debates to be conducted with no live audience – another break with tradition.

Candidates would take turns answering questions from an agreed-upon moderator from a major news network, and the non-speaking candidate’s microphone would be deactivated.

Ms Dillonsaid raucous partisan crowds were not “conducive to good debates”.

The first 2020 forum between the two candidates was marred by frequent interruptions and cross-talk. The second was cancelled when Mr Trump caught Covid and refused to take part by video link.