Mint Quick Edit | US elections: Brace for Biden vs Trump debates

As the US presidential elections near, the campaign promises to get more exciting. The two candidates—Democrat incumbent Joe Biden and his Republican challenger Donald Trump—have agreed to two televised debates, one in June and then in September. This will be their first such appearance in four years. The last time the two faced off, ahead of the 2020 polls, Trump kept interrupting Biden. 

Also read: US Presidential Elections 2024: Joe Biden and Donald Trump agree to two debates on June 27 and September 10

This time, Biden wants to set the ground rules. Trump, on his part, wants a grand venue with a large live audience. These final details are yet to be agreed. But the clash could make a big difference if the race tightens. By throwing down this gauntlet, the incumbent perhaps expects to take a lead. Right now, Trump, for all his legal troubles, appears to be a nose ahead. 

The former president ducked debates with his Republican candidacy challengers, but responded to Biden’s offer on social media by saying he was “ready to Rumble!!!” One Trump tactic has been to portray Biden as too old for the job, although he himself isn’t much younger, making this ageism sound odd. The age criterion is simply that one has to be at least 35 years old, an arbitrary cut-off that few seem to question.