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US election debate: Donald Trump and Joe Biden clash in bad-tempered and angry showdown

Donald Trump and Joe Biden went at each other hammer and tongs in the first of three debates in the US presidential election.

In a bad-tempered and at times chaotic debate, the candidates ripped chunks out of each other on their records and issues such as the economy and race.

Mr Trump was rebuked several times by Chris Wallace, the moderator, for speaking over his opponent.

At one point, after incessant interruptions from the president, Mr Biden said: "Will you shut up, man?"

Follow the latest updates and reaction below.


05:37 AM

What happened tonight?

That's it for our coverage of the first presidential debate. Here are the big talking points:

  • Trump and Biden clashed in a fierce and explosive debate in Cleveland
  • Biden accused the president of being a racist and Trump refused to condemn a white supremacist group, instead telling the Proud Boys to 'stand by'
  • The debate's moderator, Chris Wallace, was roundly attacked for failing to control the candidates who constantly spoke over each other
  • At one point, Biden told Trump: "Why don't you shut up, man?"
  • Trump went after Hunter Biden, accusing his rival's son of dodgy financial dealings and of being kicked out of the military
  • Trump's team were accused of ignoring health warnings by sitting in the front row without face masks
  • Biden's campaign broke its single-hour fundraising record, pulling in $3.8 million, his campaign said

You can vote for the winner of tonight's debate here:


04:35 AM

Two thirds of voters annoyed by debate, according to poll

A CBS and YouGov poll has found that voters believe Joe Biden was tonight's winner.

Forty-eight per cent of likely voters who watched the debate believe Mr Biden won, while 41 per cent said President Trump was victorious.

But more than two-thirds (69 per cent) of likely voters who tuned into the broadcast said it left them feeling annoyed .

About three in 10 (31 per cent) found it entertaining but 19 per cent of voters said the debate left them feeling pessimistic, while 18 per cent said they were now more optimistic.

Only 17 per cent said the exchange left them feeling informed.


04:10 AM

Biden enjoys bumper fundraising hour

Joe Biden's campaign broke its single-hour fundraising record as the Democrat's debate with President Donald Trump wrapped up on Tuesday, pulling in $3.8 million, a campaign official said.

Mr Biden's deputy campaign manager, Kate Bedingfield, announced the online fundraising haul on a phone call with reporters. 

Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden speaks during the first presidential debate with President Donald Trump Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020, at Case Western University and Cleveland Clinic, in Cleveland, Ohio - AP

03:46 AM

Watch: Biden attacks Trump on tax returns

In one of the key moments of the night, Joe Biden went after Donald Trump over allegations that the president has been avoiding paying tax:


03:28 AM

Anger over Trump's failure to denounce Proud Boys

Rozina Sabur reports: The president was asked about white supremacist violence and then to denounce the Proud Boys group, but instead replied: "Proud Boys stand back, stand by. But somebody's got to do something about Antifa."

The far-right group then updated their slogan with Mr Trump's "stand back and stand by" comment from tonight's debate.

Members of the group celebrated the comments online, with one writing "standing by sir".

Biden's campaign seized on it, sharing an image of a discussion between Proud Boys members (the below image contains language some might find offensive):

Watch the clip of Mr Trump's response below:


03:08 AM

Row as Trump's guests don't wear masks

The Trump family have come under fire for not wearing face masks in the debate hall, despite it being a requirement for all audience members, Rozina Sabur writes

More than half of the president's team, including his four children Donald Jnr, Ivanka, Eric and Tiffany, were pictured not wearing face masks.

By contrast, all of Mr Biden's family and staff appeared to wear face coverings throughout.

From top to bottom: Eric Trump, Ivanka Trump, Melania Trump, Tiffany Trump and Donald Trump Jr, with only Melania wearing a mask - GETTY IMAGES

02:58 AM

Analysis: Will any voters change their minds?

Well, that was a mess,

Ben Riley-Smith writes:

Chaotic, shouty, endless talking over each other. It was a debate in name only. There was little discussion. And it was mainly Mr Trump butting in. The critical question - will it actually sway any voters? - is just as unclear as the debate itself. Trump supporters will be cheering. Their man came out hot, swinging and talking, not letting Mr Trump complete his sentences. He rained down verbal blows on Mr Biden. Biden supporters will see a president wild in his attacks and their man trying to rise above it. They will see Mr Trump’s failure to condemn white supremacy as particularly shocking. Perhaps, as with so much in American politics right now, it just reinforces what everyone thinks already, reinforcing their previous thoughts on the candidates. 
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and his wife Jill Biden wave to the audience after the first presidential debate against U.S. President Donald Trump at the Health Education Campus of Case Western Reserve University on September 29, 2020 in Cleveland, Ohio. This is the first of three planned debates between the two candidates in the lead up to the election on November 3 - GETTY IMAGES

02:50 AM

Trump finishes on ballot fraud

The president finished on a fear about mail-in voting. declaring there would be fraud and the result may not be known "for months", Nick Allen writes

Mr Trump said he believed the Supreme Court may be called on to decide it, although he hoped not.

Asked if he'll accept the result after the election result is independently verified, and urge his supporters not to engage in civil unrest, Mr Trump declined to say he would.

Instead, he said he was urging his supporters to go into polling stations and watch what was going on.

Mr Trump said some of them had already been removed from a polling station in Philadelphia. "Bad things happen in Philadelphia," he said.

Rozina Sabur writes: Mr Biden has honed his message. Looking directly into the camera, he says: “Show up and vote. You will determine the outcome of this election. Vote, vote, vote... He cannot stop you from being able to determine the outcome of this election”.

Mr Trump has repeatedly attacked mail-in voting, claiming it's vulnerable to fraud, but Mr Biden points out that the president himself has made use of postal voting saying, “he sits behind the Resolute Desk and sends his ballot to Florida.”


02:47 AM

Have your say

Who do you think won the first debate? Vote now in our poll:


02:41 AM

Ding ding! We've gone 12 rounds

Chris Wallace calls an end to an extraordinarily febrile bout, saying "this will be continued."

Not sure I can handle it, Chris.

Melania walks across to her husband and pats him on the arm. Biden and his wife, Jill, embrace warmly.

Some people in the audience shout: "We love you Trump!" and "The greatest president of all time!"

President Donald Trump waves as he leaves with first lady Melania Trump at the end of the first 2020 presidential campaign debate with Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden held on the campus of the Cleveland Clinic at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio - REUTERS

02:36 AM

Even families aren't off-limits in this debate

The two candidates have had another contentious sparring match over Mr Biden's family, Rozina Sabur writes.

Mr Biden criticised the president's reported mocking of fallen US troops as "losers", describing how his eldest son, Beau, served in Iraq for a year and received a Bronze Star for his service. Beau died from brain cancer in 2015.

Mr Trump dismissed the comment, saying: “I don’t know Beau - I know Hunter.” The president then unleashed a vitriolic attack against Hunter, claiming he was dishonourably discharged from the military. Mr Biden denied this, saying "that's not true".

Mr Biden then launched an impassioned defence of Hunter, growing visibly emotional as he said: "My son had a drug problem.. he has overtaken it... and I am proud of him".


02:35 AM

Next up: mail-in ballots

Now the candidates turn to mail-in ballots and Trump deploys one of his regular claims – that of a likely, widespread fraud on November 3 because of postal voting.

Read more: Inside the looming postal disaster that could ruin the US election


02:28 AM

'Stupid bastards!'

In one of the weirder moments of this very weird night, Trump accuses Biden of calling the military "stupid bastards".

He repeats the charge, yelling: "Stupid bastards! Stupid bastards!"


02:25 AM

Biden makes his appeal

Mr Biden is using his two-minute speaking slot to make a pitch to voters, Rozina Sabur writes.

Under Mr Trump, America has become "weaker, sicker, poorer, more divided and more violent", he said.  

"We left him a booming economy and he caused a recession," Mr Biden said, adding "he is president of the United States. It is on his watch."

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden participates in the first 2020 presidential campaign debate with U.S. President Donald Trump held on the campus of the Cleveland Clinic at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland  - REUTERS

02:21 AM

Next up: the climate

The next debate topic is climate change, Nick Allen writes.

Trump is asked if he believes in climate change and he says he does "to an extent". But he then goes on the attack about forest fires in California, blaming the state's (Democratic) governor for poor management of forests and the environment.

He added: "We're planting a billion trees."

Mr Trump went on to attack other countries. He said: "India, China, they all send real dirt up in the air and we're supposed to be good."

Biden defends his policies on the environment, including his proposal to stop using fossil fuels to generate electricity by 2035.


02:17 AM

Trump condemns white supremacists... sort of

Donald Trump was asked to condemn white supremacists and far-right militias, Nick Allen writes.

He said: "Sure, I'm willing to do it." When asked to condemn the Proud Boys group he said: "Proud Boys stand back, stand by. But somebody's got to do something about Antifa.

"Antifa is bad. It's a dangerous radical group and they'll overthrow you [Mr Biden]."


02:10 AM

'This man has done virtually nothing'

We are on to the current racial tensions simmering in the US, Rozina Sabur writes. Both candidates have been asked why voters should trust them to deal with the issue. Mr Biden is quick to condemn Mr Trump's record with African Americans.

He has cited Mr Trump's infamous remarks that there are "many fine people on both sides" after a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville which left a woman dead. "This is a president that has used everything as a dog whistle to try to generate racist hatred," he said.

"This is a man who when you talk about helping African Americans, one in 1,000 African Americans has been killed because of the coronavirus."

He adds with a scoff: "This man is the saviour of African Americans? This man has done virtually nothing."

US President Donald J. Trump (L) and Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden (R) participate in the first 2020 presidential election debate at Samson Pavilion in Cleveland, Ohio, USA, 29 September 2020. The first presidential debate is co-hosted by Case Western Reserve University and the Cleveland Clinic. First 2020 presidential election debate between US President Donald J. Trump and Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden - EPA

02:03 AM

Analysis: 'Trump is a bulldozer'

Donald Trump is a verbal bulldozer, Ben Riley-Smith writes.

He just keeps on speaking and speaking, not letting Mr Biden get any words in. That was deployed brutally over Hunter Biden. 

The president went on the attack over Mr Biden’s son. He kept on making the accusation that Mr Biden had got money from China-linked business figures. 

Mr Biden tried to deploy his defence lines - saying the claims had been rebutted and pivoting to talk about US families - but the president just kept on butting in with the same accusation. Over and over and over and over. 

It has been the theme throughout the night: Mr Trump talking non-stop. It is working. 


02:01 AM

Next up: The racism crisis in the US

Now the candidates are asked about race in America. 

Here's why it's such a big issue in this election:


02:01 AM

Trump attacks Biden's son over his business

Donald Trump has launched his expected attack over Hunter Biden's financial affairs, and it was aggressive, Nick Allen writes

Mr Trump was talking about manufacturing jobs and China when he suddenly went on the offensive. He said: "China ate your lunch Joe. Your son goes in there and takes out billions of dollars to manage.

"While we're at it the mayor of Moscow's wife gave your son $3.5 million. What did he do to deserve that? It's a fact." Mr Biden said:

"None of that is true." As Mr Trump kept going Mr Biden turned to the camera and said he didn't want to talk about families. "It's about you, the American people," he told the camera.


01:56 AM

The sound and the fury

It's hard to overstate just how ridiculous this is. 

Trump is all but yelling over Biden, even interrupting the moderator who is interrupting him, who was interrupting Biden, who was interrupting the moderator. 


01:51 AM

'Show us your tax returns'

Mr Biden is relishing the next debate topic: Trump's tax affairs, Rozina Sabur writes.

The moderator has asked Mr Trump about a bombshell new report suggesting the president paid just $750 in federal income tax in 2016 and 2017. As Mr Trump responds, Mr Biden interrupts with calls of "show us your tax returns".

"He pays less tax than a school teacher," Mr Biden says, describing how he would scrap the tax cuts that Mr Trump introduced during his first term. 

How much tax do presidents pay?


01:49 AM

Biden talking straight to the American people

Joe Biden appears to have made a conscious decision to look straight into the camera when answering, particularly on questions related to the coronavirus, Nick Allen writes.

At times he is barely glancing at his opponent and instead speaking directly to the American people.

It's not clear if Mr Trump has noticed this. Only the polls afterwards will tell whether Mr Biden's tactic, which has been used by other politicians before, has been effective.

Democratic Presidential candidate and former US Vice President Joe Biden speaks during the first presidential debate at Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio, on September 29, 2020 - GETTY IMAGES

01:46 AM

Analysis: It's not Queensberry rules, but it works

Every time Mr Biden even for a moment gets up and running Mr Trump interrupts with a line, Ben Riley-Smith writes

It ruins every one of the Democrat’s soundbites. One example was coronavirus. Mr Biden was making an impassioned appeal to TV viewers, asking if they had an empty seat at the table because of losing someone to the virus.

“You would have lost far more people, far more people”, Mr Trump then butted in. He keeps claiming, without evidence, under a Biden presidency two million Americans would have died. 

Mr Trump did the same when his golf playing was mentioned, immediately coming back and claiming that Mr Biden played more than him, even though that is not correct. It is not Marquess of Queensberry rules but it is brutally effective.

U.S. President Donald Trump participates in the first presidential debate against Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden at the Health Education Campus of Case Western Reserve University on September 29, 2020 in Cleveland, Ohio. This is the first of three planned debates between the two candidates in the lead up to the election on November 3 - GETTY IMAGES

01:44 AM

'Trump's strongest suit'

Donald Trump is on his strongest suit - the economy, Nick Allen writes.

"We closed it down because of the China plague and now we're reopening and doing record business. "He [Joe Biden] will shut it down again. He will destroy this country.

"They've got to open these states up. It's not fair. It's like being in prison. "This guy will close down the whole country and destroy our country."

Mr Biden is attempting to undercut Mr Trump's record on the economy, Rozina Sabur writes – an area where polls show voters trust the president more.

"Take a look at what he's actually done. He's done very little," he said. "He talks about the art of the deal - China perfected the art of the steal. We have a higher deficit now with China now than we did before”.

Trump responds: "China ate your lunch, Joe."


01:42 AM

Next up: the economy

Now the candidates – at this stage more like an angry swarm of bickering bees then a pair of presidential hopefuls – are shepherded towards the topic of the economy. 

Biden goes on the attack over Trump's tax returns and says the president will be the first in history to leave office with more unemployment than when he was sworn in.

Now, I haven't checked the figures but Herbert Hoover, who left office during the Great Depression, might have something to say about that.


01:38 AM

Trump makes fun of Biden's face masks

Donald Trump says he is in favour of masks and pulls one out of his inside pocket, Nick Allen writes.

Mr Trump said: "I have a mask right here. I'm OK with masks.

"I don't wear them like him. He could be speaking 200ft away from me and he's wearing the biggest mask you've ever seen."

Mr Trump justified no social distancing at his rallies by saying that they were outside.


01:38 AM

'Totally irresponsible'

Joe Biden accuses the president of being "totally irresponsible" by holding rallies with huge crowds during a pandemic.

Mr Trump hits back by saying it's because Mr Biden couldn't attract big crowds to his rallies. "Because nobody will show up," the president says.

Rozina Sabur writes: Mr Biden has used a question on the coronavirus to hammer Mr Trump on his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, repeatedly referencing the fact that more than 200,000 Americans have died from the virus.

Mr Biden also criticised Mr Trump for failing to support mask wearing, which he says could save thousands of lives.  "He's not worried about you," he told the audience, referencing Mr Trump's previous comments that he was not concerned about getting coronavirus because he was "far away" from his supporters while on stage at rallies.

"He's been totally irresponsible in the way he's handled social distancing and people wearing masks... he is a fool on that". 


01:34 AM

Biden's anger is growing

Rozina Sabur writes: Mr Biden has become visibly frustrated early on in the debate as he faces frequent interruptions from Mr Trump, telling the president: “Will you shut up, man? That is so unpresidential.”

Mr Biden has been asked about ending the filibuster in the Senate, or packing the Supreme Court with more justices. The Vice-President has been very careful not to answer this question - reluctant to anger liberals and conservatives alike who may consider voting for him. 

"Whatever position I take will be the issue. The American people should speak," adding: "I'm not going to answer the question". 


01:33 AM

Trump's trump card: the vaccine

Donald Trump pulled out a trump card, saying the vaccine might be ready before the election, Nick Allen writes

In doing so he said he disagreed with the head of his own vaccine effort Operation Warp Speed.

Mr Trump said he had spoken directly to the companies making the vaccines. He said: "They can go faster by a lot. They will have the vaccine very soon."


01:29 AM

Next up: Coronavirus

Now the candidates turn to the topic of coronavirus.

Trump claims a vaccine will be ready in November and claims "people like this" – nodding to Biden – are trying to stop it.


01:23 AM

'Will you shut up, man?'

That first 15 minutes was chaotic, Ben Riley-Smith writes.

Mr Trump was constantly talking over Mr Biden or clashing with the moderator. There was almost not a single 30-second period when one of the candidates was allowed to speak.

Mr Trump was more energetic, Mr Biden looked the more nervous.

At the end of the first segment on the Supreme Court, Mr Biden snapped: “Will you shut up, man?” As the moderators moved on, Mr Biden said with tongue firmly in cheek: “That was really a productive segment.”

Democratic Presidential candidate and former US Vice President Joe Biden speaks during the first presidential debate at the Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio on September 29, 2020 - GETTY IMAGES

01:21 AM

Analysis: Strong start from Trump

Donald Trump has come out swinging, Ben Riley-Smith writes.

In the early minutes after an initial nod and greeting to Joe Biden he has already taken a load of swipes at his opponent.  The president said he will be controlled by radical left-wingers. “They’re going to dominate you Joe, you know that,” he said. 

Mr Trump also claimed that if Mr Biden was president the Covid-19 death toll would be not 200,000 Americans but two million. 

The tone has already been set: Mr Trump making the pace, jumping in as Mr Biden is speaking, challenging the moderator, firing attacks at the Democrat. 

Mr Biden has been stumbling over some of his early sentences. 

President Donald Trump speaks during the first presidential debate against former Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden at the Health Education Campus of Case Western Reserve University on September 29, 2020 in Cleveland, Ohio. This is the first of three planned debates between the two candidates in the lead up to the election on November 3 - GETTY IMAGES

01:18 AM

'You finished last in your class, not first'

This is getting spicy already. Biden accuses Trump of lying and the president bites back, saying: "You didn't finish first in your class, you finished last."

Biden then calls Trump a "clown".

There is no small amount of squawking.

"If you're both speaking at the same time..." Mr Wallace says, before he's cut off.


01:16 AM

Trump rebuked for talking over the moderator

Donald Trump, a man born on the warpath, is on the warpath, talking over Chris Wallace and earning himself a rebuke from the moderator.

The candidates are fighting about Roe v Wade and the Trump administration's plan to repeal Obamacare.

Mr Trump keeps interrupting and says: "I guess I'm debating you [Mr Wallace] not him [Mr Biden] but that's OK."

The president goes on to say he will reduce prescription drug prices by 80 or 90 per cent.


01:13 AM

Biden's pointed guestlist

Mr Biden's guests in the audience tonight are all people who have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic, offering a clue to what his central message tonight will be, Rozina Sabur writes.

The guests are Kristin Urquiza, whose Trump-supporting father died of the coronavirus, Gurneé Green a small business owner based in  Cleveland Ohio, the location of the debate,  and James Evanoff, a member of the United Steel Workers union.

The Biden campaign said the guests represent "working families... and they each highlight how Donald Trump’s failures to control the virus and save the economy have hurt hard working Americans lives and livelihoods".

Ann Dorn, whose retired police officer husband was killed amid anti-racism protests in St. Louis in June, is among Trump's guests, a month after appearing in a video on his behalf at the Republican National Convention. Trump has hammered away at a "law-and-order" message in response to widespread civil unrest over police brutality and racism and accused Democrats of failing to support law enforcement.

Another Trump guest is former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who played an integral role in trying to find dirt on Biden's son Hunter and his business dealings in Ukraine. Although the effort helped lead to Trump's impeachment, Giuliani's presence lends credence to reports that Trump intends to attack Hunter Biden anew at the debate.

The candidates greeted each other politely - GETTY IMAGES

01:10 AM

Biden attacks Trump over his pick

Joe Biden launches his first attack of the night, accusing Donald Trump of breaching democracy by trying to shove through the Supreme Court appointment. 

Donald Trump gets to speak first on the issue of the Supreme Court. Asked why he's right to nominate Amy Coney Barrett before the election, he says: "We won the election. Elections have consequences. "We have the Senate and the White House and a phenomenal nominee respected by all. We have the right to do it."

Mr Biden responded: "It's just not appropriate."


01:07 AM

First up: Supreme Court

The first question is about the Supreme Court and Donald Trump's plan to push through the nomination of Amy Coney Barrett.


01:06 AM

Here come the candidates

Donald Trump and Joe Biden take to the stage – but there are no handshakes due to coronavirus.

"How you doin', man?" says Mr Biden to his rival. I'll be honest, it's not the first line I predicted.


12:58 AM

Front row filling up

Ivanka Trump and Jill Biden are among the faces filling up a socially-distanced front row.

There's a very, very weirdly and slightly haunted-house clapping when Melania Trump walks to take her seat. About three people sound delighted to see her.

There is now total silence in the hall as we wait for the candidates.

We're only a few minutes away now...


12:55 AM

On your marks...


12:47 AM

Trump way down in the polls


12:46 AM

Biden is a 'swamp creature', says Trump's son

Donald Trump’s son Donald Jr has given a preview of his father’s approach tonight during a short interview on ABC News, Ben Riley-Smith writes

“We’ve got to talk about record”, the younger Mr Trump said, arguing that the mainstream media does not talk enough about the president’s achievements in office. 

Don Jr also hammered Joe Biden, who has a Washington DC career stretching back five decades, over being part of the “swamp” that his father pledged to drain in his 2016 campaign.

“He’s been a DC swamp creature for half a century”, Don Jr said of Mr Biden. He also raised questions about Mr Biden’s son Hunter and his business links to foreign countries, an attack that is likely to come from the president on the debate stage.


12:39 AM

Keep an eye on...

Here are a few key things to watch out for tonight, writes Rozina Sabur:

Will Biden stumble? Mr Trump and his campaign have made Mr Biden's age a main line of attack, painting the 77-year-old as mentally fading. Mr Biden is known for his verbal slip-ups and Mr Trump believes he has an opportunity to exploit this during the televised debates. Will Mr Biden manage to avoid tripping up tonight? 

How will Trump respond to a grilling on his taxes? Mr Trump will face tough questions about his finances for the first time since a bombshell report claimed that the president sustained such heavy losses on his businesses and paid less federal income tax than most Americans during his first two years in the White House. Mr Trump has claimed the report is "fake news" - but will that suffice tonight? 

Will Biden 'take the bait' with Trump's personal attacks? Mr Trump is expected to unleash a volley of personal attacks on Mr Biden, attacking his son Hunter Biden in particular over his business dealings in Ukraine and China. Mr Biden has been known to lose his composure when his family are attacked so his campaign are eager for him to stay focused on policy rather than risk getting drawn into a tit-for-tat with the president.

Will Trump use theatrics? In 2016, Mr Trump dominated the stage, looming over Mrs Clinton on stage as she answered questions. Mrs Clinton described how off-putting she found the tactic in her memoir, saying her "skin crawled". Mr Trump also brought a group of women who had accused Bill Clinton of sexual misconduct to unseat his opponent. Will Mr Trump attempt similar theatricts this time around?

Read more: Seven things to watch in tonight's debate


12:37 AM

I'll be watching, says Hillary Clinton

Hillary Clinton said she would be watching, and was "looking forward to it", Nick Allen writes

She told MSNBC: "I'm going to watch it with real interest. Unlike four years ago Donald Trump now has a record. Everyone has seen what he has done.

"They've watched him totally fumble the response to the coronavirus. They've watched him try to take away healthcare from Americans.

"You can only lie so many times when finally people look at each other, saying we've seen this before and we're not buying it this time." 

She also warned Joe Biden not to "take the bait".

"Trump is quite a master at trying to find those pain points, and poke them and prod them to get a reaction.

"I think the accusations and innuendo will fly fast and furious from Trump. I think Joe should address it once, it's not true, it's proven not true, just don't take the bait."


12:32 AM

Adviser says Trump must go on the offensive

Chris Christie, the former New Jersey governor who has been advising Donald Trump on debate tactics in recent weeks, says that the US president has to go on the offensive, writes Ben Riley-Smith.

Speaking on ABC News, where he is a pundit for debate night, Mr Christie said that if the election was a personality contest Joe Biden would win because he is better liked.

But he said that if voters - and viewers tonight - focus on Mr Trump’s record on the economy over the last three years and going forward the president could profit. “He’s got to play offensive tonight, but that’s natural to him”, Mr Christie said.

He said the president had to attack “on the issues that matter”. The comments suggest Mr Trump could focus often on the economy, an issue where he is still better trusted than Mr Biden according to the polls, despite growth turning to recession due to coronavirus lockdowns this year. 

The debate stage is set for U.S. President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden to participate in the first presidential debate at the Health Education Campus of Case Western Reserve University on September 29, 2020 in Cleveland, Ohio. This is the first of three planned debates between the two candidates in the lead up to the election on November 3 - GETTY IMAGES

12:29 AM

Row over Joe Biden's ears

In the hours before the debate there has been a row over inspecting Joe Biden's ears, Nick Allen writes

The Trump campaign asked that a third party be allowed to look inside both men's ears to check for electronic transmitting devices. Mr Trump's officials accused Mr Biden of refusing to let his ears be looked at.

Tim Murtaugh, the Trump campaign spokesman, said: "Joe Biden’s handlers several days ago agreed to a pre-debate inspection for electronic earpieces, but today abruptly reversed themselves and declined." Kate Bedingfield, Mr Biden’s spokeswoman called the ear inspection request “absurd”.

Mr Trump himself has repeatedly accused Mr Biden of being on performance enhancing drugs, and demanded a drug test ahead of the debate.

Shortly before the debate, Mr Biden responded on Twitter


12:14 AM

The swing states are watching

Polling for The Telegraph from Redfield & Wilton Strategies shows that in the battleground states that will likely determine the election result a majority of voters plan to be tuning in tonight, writes Ben Riley-Smith in Cleveland.

More than half of Americans in the six states Donald Trump won most narrowly in 2016 - Pennsylvania, Arizona, North Carolina, Michigan, Florida and Wisconsin - plan to watch, according to new polls from those states.

The survey results also suggest they expect the US president and not Joe Biden to perform better on the night - a possible reflection of how Mr Trump has lowered the bar for his opponent by repeatedly questioning his mental agility.

The percentage of respondents who planned to vote for Mr Trump and expected a 10 out of 10 performance from him ranged from 39 per cent to 58 per cent.

The range for people who planned to vote for Mr Biden and expected a 10 out of 10 performance by him was lower, between 27 per cent to 38 per cent. 


12:11 AM

What's on the menu?

Here’s how tonight's debate will work.

Time: 2am UK, 9pm ET

Where: Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. The debate will be 90 minutes long and have no advert breaks. 

Duration: 90 minutes, no advert breaks, no oranges at half-time

Moderator: Chris Wallace from Fox News

Topics: The debate will be split into 15-minute segments which focus on six different topics chosen by Mr Wallace. These topics will be:

  • President Trump and Mr Biden’s records
  • The Supreme Court
  • The integrity of the election
  • Covid-19
  • Race and violence in US cities
  • The economy
Trump leaving the White House earlier today - GETTY IMAGES

12:03 AM

Get the latest from Washington

The US election is less than five weeks away.

Every Thursday morning The Telegraph's Washington team sends out a newsletter with inside analysis on the race, insights from our trips across America, the latest polls and much more.

If you want to really understand what is happening in this epic campaign battle, sign up for free.   


11:58 PM

Here we go . . .

Good evening, folks. 

Tonight is the biggie — the first presidential debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden. 

This debate, the first of three, could be the most important single day remaining in the campaign.

These two aren’t exactly mates, and Mr Trump is hardly known for his gentle and polite debate style. This could be a cracking 90 minutes of political theatre and a momentous moment in the election battle.

We’re covering every question, every answer, and all the reaction.

The stage at the Case Western Reserve University where the two candidates will meet shortly - GETTY IMAGES