Teams for Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are reportedly clashing over whether hot microphones should be allowed during their upcoming presidential debate on September 10, which is scheduled to be hosted by ABC. The disagreement centers around whether both candidates’ microphones should remain live throughout the debate, with Harris’s team advocating for unmuted mics to potentially provoke unfiltered reactions from Trump.
According to a report by Politico, which cites unnamed sources familiar with the issue, the negotiations have become tense over this particular stipulation. Vice President Harris and her team favor keeping the microphones on at all times, believing this approach could lead Trump into unpresidential moments. Harris campaign spokesperson Brian Fallon stated, “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.” He added that Trump’s team prefers the option of muting microphones, implying they may be concerned about Trump’s ability to maintain presidential composure throughout the debate.
An unnamed source suggested that Harris is confident in handling any interruptions from Trump and believes that unmuted microphones could expose any “intemperate outbursts” from him, potentially benefiting her campaign.
On the other hand, Trump’s team claims they had already agreed to microphone restrictions based on the terms used in a previous debate between Trump and President Joe Biden on CNN in June. Trump senior adviser Jason Miller dismissed the Harris campaign’s push for unmuted microphones, stating, “Enough with the games. We accepted the ABC debate under the exact same terms as the CNN debate.” He also criticized the Harris campaign’s request for a seated debate with notes and opening statements, which he said was rejected.
Despite the back-and-forth, there remains a possibility that Trump might withdraw from the debate altogether. Trump has hinted at not participating due to alleged bias from ABC. He wrote on Truth Social, “Why would I do the Debate against Kamala Harris on that network?” adding that he might skip it altogether. Earlier, Trump questioned the necessity of participating, saying, “I’m leading in the polls. And, everybody knows her, everybody knows me.”
Harris, meanwhile, has seen a surge in polling numbers recently, which has added another layer of intensity to the debate preparations.
