How long is the Trump - Harris debate scheduled for? Time limit, rules and format information

There is not long to go until Kamala Harris and Donald Trump take to our screens to debate the future of the United States in order to win our votes in the upcoming election.

The two candidates for the keys to the White House are set to go live on ABC in Philadelphia at the National Constitution Center in what will be the first time that they go head to head in person on our screens.

“World News Tonight” anchor David Muir and ABC News Live “Prime” anchor Linsey Davis will have the task of monitoring the debate, which could well get heated as the political pair go back and forth over their visions for the future.

However, it won’t be a straight shouting match, and there are various rules in place for the two in order to maintain some level of calm and coherence for when things get sticky. For starters, when one candidate is speaking, the other’s microphone will be turned right down, meaning that they cannot talk over their opponent. Only the moderators will have the ability to ask questions at any time.

How long will the Harris - Trump debate last?

The show will run for 90 minutes of debate time, and there will be two commercial breaks to allow for a quick rest and a bit of makeup time in between. However, campaign staff may not interact with candidates during commercial breaks.

What are the time limits during the debate?

ABC themselves confirmed that there will be no opening statements for either candidate, and closing statements will be two minutes per person. As well as that, the pair will be given just two minutes to answer each question with a two-minute rebuttal, with an additional minute granted for a follow-up, clarification, or response.

Additionally, the rule has been put in place that each candidate will stand behind podiums for the duration of the debate and no props or pre-written notes will be allowed on stage. A pen, a pad of paper, and a bottle of water are the only things that will be given to the two, meaning statistics and all those things we easily forget will have to be memorised beforehand.

The event will begin at 9 p.m. ET and, as mentioned, will be broadcast on ABC. TV channels vary depending on your region and network, so check beforehand to see what number you need to plug in. For the Gen-Z viewers, the event will be streamed on YouTube. For those out at a pre-planned dinner, we’ll have all the latest updates on the debate right here on AS USA for you to check under the table.