Biden vs Trump Presidential Debate 2024: reactions, winner, Biden’s health, fact-checking Trump,
Biden vs Trump debate 2024: Live Updates
Joe Biden vs Donald Trump | Live First Presidential Debate 2024
- The rules you should be aware of for tonight's 90-minute debate
- Dana Bash and Jake Tapper will moderate tonight's event
- No live audience will be present for the debate, and candidates will have their mics cut when their opponent speaks.
In one of the less serious moments of the CNN debate, Donald Trump traded punches, or rather swings, with Joe Biden over his golf record. Biden claimed he has a handicap of 6 in golf, which Trump described as a lie.
“I’ve seen your swing,” he retorted. “That’s the biggest lie that he’s a 6 handicap.”
Read more on the spat between the two candidates, which was emblematic of the level of discourse at tonight's debate.
And that is a wrap
Well, the first presidential debate of 2024 has come to an end. For those hoping that the debate would be better than the showings in 2020, how are we feeling?
Overall, the entire debate was a mess. Biden was hard to understand and fumbled various questions that he should have been able to land a blow. On abortion, for instance, he claimed that women need access to abortion because an undocumented immigrant could rape them. Additionally, there were many instances when Biden was unable or uninterested in using all of his time to describe his policy position. His performance has led some CNN commentators to call for Biden to step down as the Democratic nominee, a situation that would be unprecedented and could have serious implications for the party's future.
It is hard to describe Donald Trump's performance because the moderators allowed him to spread a series of lies for nearly the entire debate. Trump also refused to answer the question at hand and instead defended his record or attacked that of Biden.
So far, this debate has been a series of answers from Biden that don't always make much sense, and Trump is spewing lie after lie. If Trump isn't lying, he is making counterfactual claims that are impossible to prove (i.e., Russia wouldn't have invaded Ukraine or that his withdrawal from Afghanistan would have maintained the "dignity" of the US Armed Forces). Many commentators have called attention to President Biden's performance, which failed to reach the levels he did during the State of the Union, which is much easier to prepare for.
However, Trump's misleading claims raise concerns about the potential impact on voters' perceptions. It remains to be seen whether his message will resonate with the electorate.
Let’s face it, it will be a long 90 minutes. Whether you support one or the other, having a couple of drinks will make the first presidential debate more enjoyable.
Expectations are low for both candidates who failed to impress the public in 2020. Four years later, it seems unlikely they will be able to pull off a better performance (but here's hoping)!
So why not have a little bit of fun? Here are the rules.
Many might be scratching their heads, wondering if these men are the best the country has to offer to be the next head of state. But can they be replaced at the conventions later this summer? Our colleague Greg Heilman took a stab at answering that question from the Democratic perspective. Read more.
The moderators force Donald Trump to say that political violence is totally unacceptable. Trump says he shouldn't have to make such a statement. He also added that he was inspired to run because of Biden's record, showing that for Trump beating Biden is personal.
The show is coming to a close... what a relief...
Trump has refused to answer any of the moderator's questions and instead keeps claiming that many historians believe he is one of the best presidents the country has ever had. He ignored a question about what he would do to bring down childcare costs, providing no answer, and instead spent the time defending his record.
Donald Trump is asked about the hush money payment made to Stormy Daniels
"I did not have sex with a pornstar," says Donald Trump when questioned about his relationship with adult film star Stormy Daniels. Many never thought that they would hear these words from a former president. A hush money payment paid to Daniels formed the basis of the trial, which landed Trump with a felony conviction in a Manhattan court.
On climate, Donald Trump has defended his decision to leave the Paris Climate Accords and did not commit to protecting the environment if elected again. Joe Biden spoke about his rejoining the agreement and his adminstration's efforts, which while applauded by environment groups, are seen as the bare minimum.
And that was the first half of the debate.
Forty-five minutes of back and forth with very little substance to report.
The candidates were asked about the economy, abortion rights, immigration, and foreign policy. Trump was specifically asked to respond to a question about his recent felony conviction, and he responded by accusing Biden of a criminal mastermind, and raised the point that the president's son was also recently convicted on felony charges in a Delaware court.
"I did not have sex with a pornstar," says Donald Trump when questioned about his relationship with adult film star Stormy Daniels. A hush money payment paid to Daniels formed the basis of the trial which landed Trump with a felony conviction in a Manhattan court.
President Biden asks Donald Trump if he denounces the Proud Boys after what they did on January 6th. Jake Tapper interrupts with another question.
Biden asked what additional leverage he would use to get Hamas and Israel to agree.
Biden has falsely claimed that Hamas is the only group that wants the war to continue. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in an interview on Isreaeli televion that he wanted a temporary ceasefire to get the hostages out, and then he would continue to fight in Gaza.
30 minutes gone... Biden on back foot
Most people on social media can at least agree that Biden looks somewhat lost on the stage, with rambling moments.
For his part, Trump has failed to answer most questions directly. He is certainly winning the bluster battle, regardless.
We are moving into the foreign policy section of the debate.
Immigration taking center stage
Trump certainly feels like immigration is an area he can target.
"The worst border in history", he says, with no evidence.
Biden attacks Trump on abortion
Donald Trump bizarrely claimed that all people, even Democrats, wanted to see Roe overturned and the question of abortion returned to the states.
Biden refuted that point as it is completely false. Democrats did not want to see Roe vs Wade overturned. There were Republicans who rejected the overturning of the decision.
The President also noted that there are plenty of pregnacies that are a product of rape who are left complelty unprotected under the current laws in many states.
Biden is killing Medicare, says Trump
Trump once again blames Biden's perceived leniancy towards mass immigration as the reason why social security is struggling, despite Democrat plans for extremely restrictive immigration plans.
"He will wipe out social security," Trump says.
Biden says that he supports increasing taxes on millionaires and billionaires. So far during his presidency, he has not pushed to pass this policy on Capitol Hill. He had an opportunity in 2022, but he received pushback from more conservative members within his caucus, West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin and Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema, who have since left the Democratic Party.
What is a bounce-back job?
Donald Trump has repeatedly mentioned the term 'bounce-back job' in the early minutes of the debate. He refers to the rehiring of jobs lost due to the COVID-19 pandemic and then reinstated as the health situation improved. These jobs are not new; they already existed, and Trump believes that Biden should not be able to take credit for them. This context is crucial for understanding the debate and the issues at hand.
Why should there be further tax cuts, Tapper asks Trump
Trump claims his sweeping tax cuts led to the economic boom the US basked in immediately after the covid-19 pandemic. Federal debt has risen from an inflation-adjusted $403 billion in 1923 to $33.17 trillion in 2023.
Trump responds on the economy
The former president touted his record for guiding the nation through the pandemic, claiming Biden's recovery was only with, his words, "illegal immigrants and bounceback jobs."
"People didn't think the stock market could get higher than it was before covid-19."
Biden hits Trump on passing a bill that reduced corporate taxes and those for high-income earners.
President Biden asked about inflation
Jake Tapper asks President Biden what he says to those struggling to keep up with inflation. President Biden said that he wants the public to look at the economy he inherited from President Trump. He also noted that inflation has come down over the last year and in May, the Consumer Price Index did not record an increase in average prices for goods and services.
Tonight's moderators, Dana Bash and Jake Tapper, introduce themselves and walk through the rules.
Donald Trump will on the left side of the stage, and Joe Biden will be on the right. This was decided based on a coin toss.
Now, the candidates are walking out.
The debate is begining live from Atlanta, Georgia.
Asking the older generation in the States, ‘Which was the first Presidential debate?’ will almost certainly be answered with Kennedy vs. Nixon in 1960.
However, that is not the case. There was indeed another debate that took place live on our screens before that, four years earlier.
Democratic candidate Adlai Stevenson challenged incumbent Republican president Dwight Eisenhower to a debate, and it was decided that the two would go head-to-head in a battle of the speakers. There’s your answer.
Read more on the historical event.
Former President Donald Trump arrived in Atlanta on Thursday evening aboard his private jet ahead of his highly anticipated debate against incumbent President Joe Biden.
The jet has been called Air Force Trump, taking its name from another moniker, Trump Force One, the name given to all aircraft in which the President of the United States travels.
California's Gavin Newsom is in Atlanta
California Governor Gavin Newsom is on the ground in Atlanta, lending support to President Biden by speaking to the press on his behalf. Less than 30 minutes until the debate begins!
30 minutes until the debate begins.
With less than an hour left before the debate begins, let's go back to 2020 to see how came up on top in those faceoffs.
Biden and Trump sparred for the first time in 2020 in Cleveland, Ohio on 29 September. Jake Tapper, who will be moderating Thursday’s match-up, called that debate “a hot mess inside a dumpster fire, inside a train wreck.”
The event was plagued by Trump incessantly interrupting not only his opponent Biden but also moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News who was unable to keep the unruly Trump under control. The ploy to dominate the debate didn’t pan out though with even one of his debate coaches, former Republican Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, saying, “I think the president overplayed his hand tonight.”
Read our full coverage for more on what political analysts said four years ago.
Pro-Palestinian protestors are calling attention to Gaza outside CNN's studio
As millions settle in to watch the first presidential debate of 2024, protestors are amassing in Atlanta around the CNN studio to call attention to the ongoing attack on civilians by Israel in Gaza. The war on Gaza has been going on for over eight months and is likely to be one of the topics discussed during tonight's debate. However, both candidates have a similar position on the issue, which is to provide Israel with weapons and the political cover and support they need on the international stage.
Biden's coalition has been falling apart as a result of his policy towards Israel since October. Young people are a demographic the campaign cannot afford to lose. Still, support is disintegrating rapidly as they see their peers attacked, arrested, and suspended for speaking out against the government's policy. Additionally, in the critical battleground state of Michigan, the Arab-American community has made clear that if the policy doesn't change, he will not be able to count on their support as a sizeable voting block this fall. These voters do not think that Trump is a better option. Instead, the feel like there have to be limits and when those are crossed a political price has to be paid. Biden's policy crosses that line, and if the Democrats want the support of those disgusted with his actions, they may need to look elsewhere for their candidate.
Reporters see the studio
Niall Strange, White House Columnist at The Hill, is inside the debate studio in Atlanta, Georgia.
In this short video posted to social media, he walks his followers through the basics of the debate and what they should expect. Both candidates will try appeal to voters who may be sick of their candidate, but how much either's performance will sway voters at home remains to be seen.
CNN is limiting the access of the White House press pool at tonight's event
The White House Press Association has released a statement expressing its frustration with CNN's decision not to allow its reporters into the studio during the debate.
CNN agreed to allow one press reporter into the studio during the commercial breaks so they could view the setup. The organization had asked that the press pool that travels with the president be granted access to the studio, thus seeing the current conditions as 'insufficient.'
"The White House pool has a duty to document, report, and witness the president’s events and his movements on behalf of the American people," reads the statement.
There are pool reporters who will not be allowed into the studio who have covered both administration, Trump's and Biden's. The WHPA argues that these individuals are who the public needs when those “what ifs?” occur "in a world where the unexpected does happen."
The organization feels that if the press pool is absent, the network is doing a disservice to the public, especially considering that both the White House and the Trump campaign have stated that they would accept reporters to be present in the studio.
The press pool travels with the president regardless of whether they have access, meaning that if CNN changes its mind, they will be right there to take a seat.
Images from President Biden's arrival in Georgia
Both candidates have touched down in Atlanta ahead of tonight's debate. The face-off, a rematch of the 2020 election cycle, is the first of its kind. Never before has a current and former president debated one another in a bid for the White House. President Biden has used his time in the city to speak with supporters on the street.
The debate will begin at 9 pm ET and is being hosted by CNN. The network's very own Dana Bash and Jake Tapper will moderate. Follow along as we bring you the latest from Atlanta as the event inches closer.
Donald Trump's airplane, which is unmistakably his, has arrived in Atlanta, Georgia, ahead of tonight's debate. Donald Trump will become the first former President to participate in a presidential debate.
DNC attacks Donald Trump on abortion rights hours before the debate
Trump orchestrated the fall of Roe v. Wade and believes that the abortion bans put in place by his MAGA allies are ‘working very brilliantly.’ From endorsing extreme abortion bans to saying states should be able to prosecute women who receive abortion care, Trump and his MAGA minions want to punish women. If elected, Trump will ban access to abortion nationwide. Voters won’t stand for Trump’s agenda to rip away even more of their freedoms, and they won’t allow him back in the White House.
The two presumptive President of the United States nominees, Joe Biden and Donald Trump, will face off in a debate hosted by CNN tonight starting at 9 pm ET. For most voters, this is the rematch no one wanted or asked for. A sizable portion of the electorate tolerated their presence on their respective tickets in 2020, and having no other choice again has rubbed many the wrong way.
For supporters, this debate has sparked concerns over how the candidates will be received by the public. Both have moments where mental acuity is called into question, and many did not enjoy seeing them bicker and talk over one another during the debates of the last election cycle. Now, nearly four years later and four years older, the two men will “talk about the issues.”
Regardless of their performance, imagining a situation where the party usurps them is difficult. This means that when the election results are announced, Trump will be a year older than he is now, while Biden will turn a year older shortly after the ballots are cast. Both candidates will be around 80 years old, with Biden above that threshold.
Read our full coverage for all the details.
CBS will stream the debate on YouTube
Looking for a way to stream the debate tonight between President Biden and former President Trump? CBS will be streaming the event for free on their YouTube channel. While CNN has allowed other major networks to stream the debate on their channels, a few smaller outlets have complained that they were not granted the same privileges. For instance, Breaking Points, an independent news channel that streams and posts videos on YouTube was denied streaming rights by CNN.
US President Donald Trump and his daughter Ivanka walk to board Marine One at the White House in Washington, DC, on February 1, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / NICHOLAS KAMM / NICHOLAS KAMM / AFP
How many children does Donald Trump have and how many times has he been married?
Donald Trump has been married three times.
Ivana Zelníčková, his first wife, was born in Czechoslovakia. His first marriage to Ivana Trump, the mother of Don Jr, Eric, and Ivanka, came in 1977. When married to Trump, Ivana held various managerial roles in the Trump Organization, including Vice President of interior design, CEO and president of Trump’s Castle casino resort, and manager of the Plaza Hotel. The two divorced after fifteen years of marriage in 1990.
The New York businessman then married Marla Maples, an entertainer in 1993. The two met in 1984 when Mr. and Mrs. Trump were still married, but began an affair. Maples is the mother of Trump’s youngest daughter, Tiffany Trump. The marriage was short, with the couple divorcing in 1999.
Currently, Donald Trump is married to his third wife, Melania Trump, who served as First Lady and is the mother of Trump’s youngest child, Barron. The couple tied the knot in 2005. Melania does not make many public appearances and he thoughts on her time in the White House are only known through leaks and whispers. Many reports show that Melania was not exactly pleased when her husband won the presidency in 2016, preferring her life in New York City to that she would later have in Washington.
The last time President Joe Biden and his predecessor Donald Trump met face-to-face on a debate stage was on 22 October 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee. That year, the two candidates for the White House were supposed to spar three times on national television before American voters went to the ballot box, but there were only two due to Trump contracting COVID-19.
There have only been two debates scheduled this year, with the first happening tonight at 9 pm ET. CNN will host the debate and hold it at its Atlanta studio headquarters, but CNN is allowing other networks to broadcast a free simulcast.
Read our full coverage for details on how to watch and the free trials you could sign up for to gain viewing access.
U.S. first lady Jill Biden and her daughter Ashley Biden attend the royal wedding of Jordan's Crown Prince Hussein and Rajwa Al Saif, in Amman, Jordan, June 1, 2023. Royal Hashemite Court (RHC)/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. / ROYAL HASHEMITE COURT (RHC) / VIA REUTERS
How many children does Joe Biden have and how many times has he been married?
Joe Biden married Neilia Hunter after a two-year romance on 27 August 1966 while still a law student in Syracuse, New York. The couple had three children – two sons, Joseph ‘Beau’ Biden and Robert Hunter Biden, and a daughter, Naomi Christina ‘Amy.’ Tragedy struck the family on the afternoon of 18 December 1972 when Biden’s wife Neilia took their three young children out to do the Christmas shopping. The Chevrolet station wagon that Neilia was driving was hit by a tractor-trailer carrying corn as she pulled out at the intersection of Valley Road and Limestone Road, killing her and 13-month-old Naomi. The Biden’s two sons, Beau (4) and Hunter (3), suffered serious injuries, a broken leg, and fractured skull, respectively, but fortunately survived.
Hunter, who was convicted on three felony charges earlier this month, has worked as an investment advisor and lawyer. He and his first wife, Kathleen Buhle had three children together. The couple divorced in 2017. In 2019, he married South African filmmaker Melissa Cohen, with whom he also shares a child. Hunter is also the father of a fourth daughter, born to a woman named Lunden Alexis Roberts who gave birth to their child in Arkansas.
Joe Biden remarried in 1977, marrying Jill Stevenson (née Jacobs), who became stepmother to Beau and Hunter. Jill Biden, a professor with four degrees, including a doctorate, is a full-time lecturer in the English department at Northern Virginia Community College. The couple have a daughter, Ashley, born on 8 June 1981. Ashley is a social worker, activist, philanthropist, fashion designer, and founder of the ethical fashion company Livelihood. She is married to a plastic surgeon, Howard Krein.
Tragedy struck in the Biden family again in 2010 when to strike the Bidens again in 2010 when Beau, then aged 41, was admitted to Christiana Hospital in Newark, Delaware, after suffering a mild stroke. Three years later, while on holiday, he was taken to MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston after suddenly feeling weak and disoriented. A small brain lesion was located and removed. Beau was then given a clean bill of health until he was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2013. He underwent several operations, chemotherapy, and radiation but succumbed to the disease on 30 May 2015. He was only 46 years old. The loss of his son was one of the main reasons he chose not to run for president in 2016, though he says that his family convinced him to join the race in 2020 to take on Donald Trump. He was victorious but now faces Trump again to secure another four years in the White House.
Who are tonight’s moderators?
Tonight's debate, hosted by CNN, will be moderated by two seasoned faces from the network: Dana Bash and Jake Tapper. The two also host the "State of the Union" program together, which should be enough to put the public at ease that tonight will not be a repeat of the 2020 debates. Tapper referred to the showing from both Trump and Biden in 2020 as "a hot mess, inside a dumpster fire, inside a train wreck," while Bash was more direct, describing the event as a "shitshow."
While it's not the first time these two have moderated presidential debates, tonight's event will be unique. The absence of a live audience and the candidates' agreement to have their mics cut while their interlocutor responds to a question will make this debate stand out.
The formalities of a debate and whether Trump and Biden will abide by them
Pollymarket is an online gambling site that has allowed users to bet on whether or not Donald Trump and Joe Biden will shake hands during the first presidential debate of this cycle. So far, most of the betters, 68 percent, believe that no handshake will take place.
The handshake is just one formality in question tonight, and it shouldn't be. Signs of basic respect between the candidates, who share no such feeling for each other, were missing in 2020, and it will come as a shock if they suddenly reappear in the demeanor of the candidates tonight.
RFK Jr attacks CNN for not allowing him to participate in tonight's debate
The independent candidate with the greatest chance of winning the White House (though the chance is minimal) is Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the nephew of former President John F. Kennedy. His father, Robert F. Kennedy, was shot and killed during his presidential bid in 1968.
Currently, RFK is polling at around seven percent nationally. CNN made the cut-off fifteen percent, meaning that the only two candidates eligible to take to the debate stage are Donald Trump and Joe Biden. The candidate and his supporters have lobbied CNN to change their minds and allow RFK on stage, but so far, no changes to the rules have been announced, and with only a few hours left before the debate begins, such a change is unlikely to come.
Read more on the situation in our full coverage.
We are just a few hours away from the first presidential debate between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump in the 2024 election cycle. The debate, which will be moderated by CNN's Dana Bash and Jake Tapper will last 90 minutes, with two commercial breaks.
The candidates will stand at uniform podiums, with positions determined by a coin toss. To prevent interruptions, microphones will be deactivated except for the speaker’s turn, a persistent issue in their previous debates.
The debate will cover a wide range of topics, including the economy, healthcare, and foreign policy. No props or pre-written notes will be permitted on stage, but each candidate will be given a pen, a notepad, and a bottle of water.
Read more on the rules and structure of tonight's event in our full coverage.
Hello and welcome to AS USA's live blog on the first presidential debate of 2024 between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump. For many voters, this is the rematch they didn't want, yet we are preparing to watch the two men face off for the first time in four years.
The 2020 debates were a nightmare and in no way substantive. The candidates talked over one another, and many personal attacks were launched. This year, CNN and the campaigns agreed that when one candidate answers a question, the microphone for the other participant will be cut.
Until the debate gets underway, we will provide you with information on how to watch the debate, the most recent polls, and other major updates from both campaigns. Later, we will bring you the latest from Atlanta, where the event is set to take place. After, we will look at some of the reactions from party leaders and pundits.
Stick around, and happy debate night!