Biden and Trump agree to June presidential debate

Joe Biden and Donald Trump have agreed to a televised presidential debate on 27 June which will air on CNN.

The network announced the event on Tuesday, and said it would take place in the key swing state of Georgia.

No audience will attend the debate in Atlanta, it added, while moderators will be announced at a later date.

The announcement came shortly after Mr Biden laid out his terms for taking on former President Trump in a debate ahead of November’s election.

Mr Biden broke tradition and proposed two televised debates in June and September. His rival quickly accepted, before suggesting they debate every month.

“We believe there should be more than just two opportunities for the American people to hear more from the candidates themselves,” the Trump campaign said.

Both candidates have traded barbs on social media, with Mr Trump stating: “Just tell me when. Let’s get ready to rumble!!!”

Mr Biden said Mr Trump was “free on Wednesdays” – a reference to his criminal trial in New York, while Mr Trump claimed his rival was the “worst debater” who “can’t put two sentences together”.

Mr Biden’s proposal of two debates breaks several established traditions.

It bypasses the presidential debate commission, which since 1988 has scheduled timings and had already set dates and locations for three debates in the autumn.

According to US media, Mr Biden’s team wants the two televised debates to be conducted with no live audience – another break with tradition.

Candidates would take turns answering question from an agreed-upon moderator from a major news network, and the non-speaking candidate’s microphone would be deactivated.

Jen O’Malley Dillon, the Biden campaign chairwoman, said said that raucous partisan crowds were not “conducive to good debates”. The first 2020 debate between the two candidates was marred by frequent interruptions and cross-talk.