U.S. President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden speaking during the first 2020 presidential campaign debate.Brian Snyder | ReutersPresident Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden will at times have their microphones temporarily cut during their next debate, the event’s sponsors announced Monday.When one of the two candidates is given a chance to provide a two-minute answer to each of the six debate topics, his opponent’s microphone will be muted, the Commission on Presidential Debates said in a statement. The final debate scheduled between Trump and Biden is set for Thursday at 9 p.m. ET in Nashville. It will be moderated by NBC News’ Kristen Welker. It will run 90 minutes in length, with each of the six topics allotted 15 minutes.The changes were implemented in the wake of the vicious and messy first debate in late September, during which Trump frequently interrupted the former vice president and at times argued with the moderator, Fox News’ Chris Wallace. The debate commission’s statement said it “considered the opinion of many who expressed concern the debate fell short of expectations, depriving voters of the opportunity to be informed of the candidates’ positions on the issues.”In order to allow the candidates to freely share their views in the final debate, the commission announced that “the only candidate whose microphone will be open during these two-minute periods is the candidate who has the floor under the rules.”The second debate was canceled after Trump refused to participate following the commission’s decision hold the event virtually, rather than in person. That move was made following Trump’s diagnosis with the coronavirus and subsequent hospitalization.The president and his campaign have aggressively criticized the debate commission and its chosen slate of moderators. This is breaking news. Please check back for updates.
