Former President Donald Trump will close next week’s debate with President Biden after the Republican’s campaign lost a coin toss, CNN announced Thursday.
Biden’s campaign correctly called “tails” and were given the option of either choosing which podium the incumbent would stand on at the CNN-hosted debate June 27, or selecting the order in which closing statements would be given.
The Democratic camp opted for the right podium position as TV viewers see it, in keeping with where Biden stood in both of his 2020 election debates against Trump.
The Trump campaign then said their man would give the second and final closing statement of the 90-minute showdown.
The June debate will be the earliest general election forum in modern US history after both campaigns agreed to ignore the schedule set out by the non-partisan Commission on Presidential Debates.
CNN also confirmed Thursday that independent Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will not be on stage after he failed to meet the criteria for qualification by a midnight deadline.
Kennedy previously filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission over the network’s requirements, which included making the ballot in enough states to obtain 270 electoral votes.
“Presidents Biden and Trump do not want me on the debate stage and CNN illegally agreed to their demand,” Kennedy said in a statement. “My exclusion by Presidents Biden and Trump from the debate is undemocratic, un-American, and cowardly.”
The 70-year-old’s campaign elaborated by claiming that any CNN staffer “who is participating in planning, executing, and holding this debate, is at risk of prosecution … for violating campaign finance laws.”
A CNN rep declined to comment on the wild suggestion.
The debate will be moderated by CNN “State of the Union” co-hosts Jake Tapper and Dana Bash and feature two commercial breaks and microphones that will automatically cut off when it is not the corresponding candidate’s turn to speak.
Trump has long feuded with CNN, perennially blasting it as “fake news.” Simultaneously, the former president had repeatedly taunted Biden by suggesting that Trump could do as many as 10 debates.
A second Trump-Biden debate has been scheduled for Sept. 10, to be hosted by ABC News.
Vice President Kamala Harris has also agreed to a debate with Trump’s yet-to-be-named running mate hosted by CBS News. Possible dates for that verbal rumble include July 23 and Aug. 13.
Trump has teased that he will make his vice presidential pick known at the Republican National Convention, which is scheduled to take place in Milwaukee July 15–18.