Trump and Biden To Participate in Competing Town Halls After Cancellation of Second Debate

Trump will participate in a town hall with NBC, setting up a competing television event against Joe Biden.

Both events are scheduled for 8 p.m. on Thursday with Biden is set to appear in an ABC town hall. 

Trump objected to the debate virtual format the two candidates were scheduled to participate in announced by the Commission on Presidential Debates due to Trump’s positive coronavirus diagnosis.

Clifford Lane, the Clinical Director of the National Institutes of Health said in a statement to NBC News that they have concluded, via PCR test analysis, “with a high degree of confidence” that Trump is “not shedding infectious virus.” 

The NBC event will be moderated by Savannah Guthrie, who will sit 12 feet from the President. Attendees will be required to wear face masks. 

Biden and ABC swiftly announced their plans to hold a town hall after Trump’s decision last week to back out of the second debate, shortly thereafter, Trump’s team entered talks with NBC about a similar event on the condition that Trump tested negative for coronavirus. 

Trump is down in all national polls and either behind or tied with Biden in key swing states.