How to watch the Presidential Debate: Live stream Biden vs. Trump free from anywhere
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The first general election presidential debate between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump airs tonight. We'll show you how to watch the presidential debate from anywhere, including free live streaming options.
The debate will be held in CNN's Atlanta, Georgia studios, a key battleground state for the two presidential candidates, and will be moderated by CNN anchors Jake Tapper and Dana Bash. Tapper and Bash are best known for co-anchoring CNN's State of the Union on Sundays. Although tonight's broadcast will be simulcast to other major news outlets, where viewers can tune in through TV or website live feeds, other networks aren't allowed to have on-air commentary or analysis during the breaks, per the terms of their simulcasting allowance.
This is the first debate that Biden and Trump have participated in since October 2020, when they last debated each other in Nashville, Tennessee, ahead of the general election that won Biden his presidency. This debate is notable for several reasons, including how early it's occurring, the lack of a live audience, and the two anticipated commercial breaks.
If you're hoping to tune in live, you've come to the right place. Keep reading to learn how to watch the Trump vs. Biden debate tonight. We've compiled live TV packages and highlighted some free options.
How to watch the presidential debate in the US
The first presidential debate will air on CNN on Thursday at 9 p.m. ET in the US. If you don't have cable, there are a couple of options to explore, in addition to the free stream offered by CNN.com and CNN's YouTube channel. Max and Sling TV both carry live streams of the CNN channel. Max will be the cheaper option today, with subscriptions starting at $9.99 a month. Sling TV carries CNN and over 30 other channels for $40 a month (although you can get your first month for half-off).
CNN's coverage will also be available to other major news networks, like NBC, FOX, CBS, and ABC. However, CNN is the only channel that can have commentary and analysis during commercial breaks. If you'd rather watch the coverage on FOX, ABC, NBC, or CBS, you can try out the live TV package Fubo, which carries tons of channels (but not CNN). Subscriptions start at $79.99 a month, and new users can get a free one-week trial.
How to watch the presidential debate in the UK
The presidential debate will be available to watch on CNN Live in the UK, where subscriptions start at £1.99 a month. Viewers can also catch the debate on CNN International through Sky in the UK, where prices vary depending on the plan.
As things stand, we have not seen the debate in the free-to-air BBC News or Sky News listings for TV or live streaming. Despite the late 2 a.m. BST timing of the debate in the US, the UK is very close to its own election right now, which is dominating the news cycle around the clock.
How to watch the presidential debate in Canada
The CNN feed will be shown on CBC News Network and the CTV News Channel in Canada. You can live stream these options through CBC Gem and CTV accounts. Many Canadian cable TV packages also have CNN.
How to watch the presidential debate from anywhere
While CNN.com's live stream will only be available in certain regions like the US, CNN's YouTube channel should work in most areas. If you find that you're still unable to view these free options due to regional geo-blocking, or if you're traveling away from home and hoping to access your existing live TV subscriptions, you can keep up with everything via VPN. Short for virtual private networks, VPNs allow you to temporarily alter your device's virtual location to access your usual websites and apps from anywhere. Plus, they're solid ways to boost your online security.
Our go-to recommendation is ExpressVPN, an easy-to-use option with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Check out our ExpressVPN review for additional details.
What time is the presidential debate?
The presidential debate starts at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on Thursday, which will be very early Friday morning for UK viewers at 2 a.m. BST.
How long is the presidential debate?
The presidential debate will last 90 minutes, with two commercial breaks. The CNN TV guide schedule blocks out coverage from 9 p.m. to 10:40 p.m. ET, and other major networks have blocked out coverage until 11 p.m. ET. Campaign staff are not permitted to engage with the candidates during these breaks.
When is the second presidential debate?
The next presidential debate is scheduled for September 10. That round will be hosted by ABC. There is also an anticipated Vice presidential debate that will take place this summer. The White House has already accepted on Vice President Kamala Harris' behalf to debate against Trump's not-yet-announced VP running mate.
Note: The use of VPNs is illegal in certain countries, and using VPNs to access region-locked streaming content might constitute a breach of the terms of use for certain services. Insider does not endorse or condone the illegal use of VPNs.