Already a subscriber? Make sure to log into your account before viewing this content. You can access your account by hitting the “login” button on the top right corner. Still unable to see the content after signing in? Make sure your card on file is up-to-date.
The Trump & Harris campaigns are in disagreement over whether microphones should be muted during an upcoming debate.
What’s the deal: The debate over whether to mute microphones during the upcoming debate between former President Trump and Vice President Harris has become a point of contention. The Trump campaign favors muting microphones when it’s not a candidate’s turn to speak, as was done in a previous debate between Trump and President Biden. However, the Harris campaign opposes this, arguing that keeping the microphones live is essential to holding Trump accountable for any interruptions or unpresidential behavior.
What Harris’s campaign is saying: Harris campaign spokesman Brian Fallon said, “We have told ABC and other networks seeking to host a possible October debate that we believe both candidates’ mics should be live throughout the full broadcast. Our understanding is that Trump’s handlers prefer the muted microphone because they don’t think their candidate can act presidential for 90 minutes on his own. We suspect Trump’s team has not even told their boss about this dispute because it would be too embarrassing to admit they don’t think he can handle himself against Vice President Harris without the benefit of a mute button. The Vice President is ready to deal with Trump’s constant lies and interruptions in real time. Trump should stop hiding behind the mute button.”
What Trump’s campaign is saying: Senior Trump adviser Jason Miller responded to the Harris campaign, saying, “This seems to be a pattern for the Harris campaign. They won’t allow Harris to do interviews, they won’t allow her to do press conferences, and now they want to give her a cheat-sheet for the debate. My guess is that they’re looking for a way to get out of any debate with President Trump.”
Digging Deeper: In addition to the upcoming ABC debate, Trump has pushed for additional debates on Fox News and NBC News. At the moment, Harris’s campaign has only committed to the ABC News debate, suggesting further negotiations are needed.
