Donald Trump, Joe Biden To Face Off In First Presidential Debate

President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump will debate each other in a historic presidential debate on CNN tonight (June 27) at 9 p.m. ET in Atlanta, Georgia. This will be the first debate not hosted by the Commission on Presidential Debates since 1988, and it is also the first time a sitting president will debate a former president.

The 90-minute debate will be moderated by CNN's Jake Tapper and Dana Bash and include two commercial breaks. A studio audience will not be present, and both candidates will stand behind uniform podiums.

Microphones will be muted throughout the debate except for the candidate whose turn it is to speak. Biden and Trump will not be allowed to have props or pre-written notes, but they will be given a pen, a pad of paper, and a bottle of water.

The debate could be a defining moment in a presidential race that took shape earlier than usual, as both candidates cruised to early victories in their respective primaries.

Biden and Trump are both expected to go on the offensive as they try to define their message early on in the campaign.

Biden will look to alleviate doubts about his ability to lead the country as he approaches the age of 82. Meanwhile, Trump will have to shift the focus away from his legal troubles and felony conviction while trying to show that he deserves a second term.

The race between the two candidates is exceptionally close, with each polling well in several key swing states.