Former President Donald Trump's closing statement will end Thursday's debate with President Joe Biden.
Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, and Biden will meet at 9 p.m. in CNN’s Atlanta studios for the first presidential debate during the 2024 race for the White House.
Biden won a coin toss to determine podium placement and the order of closing statements, CNN reported Friday.
The president’s campaign chose to select the podium position that will be on the right side of TV viewers' screens.
Trump’s campaign then chose for the former president to deliver the final closing statement, CNN said.
Last month, Trump and Biden agreed to hold two campaign debates, with the second on Sept. 10 hosted by ABC.
For the first time since 1984, a presidential debate will be not be hosted by the nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates, which was created in 1987.
The Trump-Biden debate will be moderated by CNN anchors Jake Tapper and Dana Bash and will take place without an audience "to ensure candidates may maximize the time allotted in the debate," the network said.
Each candidate's microphone will be muted when the other candidate is speaking.
The two men aren't expected to offer opening statements, and each will have two minutes to answer questions, CBS News reported Monday.
The format also will include two commercial breaks, during which the candidates will not be allowed to interact with campaign staffers.
Biden went to Camp David during the weekend to prepare for the debate. Former White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain assisted Biden, and the president’s personal attorney, Bob Bauer, portrayed Trump in mock debates.
Trump, who held a rally in Philadelphia on Saturday night, prepared for the debate by holding a series of private meetings with allies, CBS News reported.
"How should I handle him? Should I be tough and nasty?" Trump asked supporters at Saturday’s rally in Philadelphia. "Should I be tough and nasty and just say You're the worst president in history? Or should I be nice and calm and let him speak?"
The debate comes weeks ahead of the Republican and Democrat nominating conventions. The GOP will hold its convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on July 15-18. The Democrats’ convention will be Aug. 19-22 in Chicago.
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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