(NewsNation) — The first presidential debate of 2024 is slated to air next week, and the rules may trip up former President Donald Trump, according to one Republican consultant.
Stuart Stevens, senior adviser to the Lincoln Project, joined “NewsNation Now” Thursday to explain how the June 27 debate on CNN might differ from those of the past.
CNN confirmed that both President Joe Biden and Trump’s camps have agreed to rules that have never been used in a debate. Notably, their mics will be muted when it’s their opponent’s turn to speak, and there will be no live audience.
“(Trump) needs an audience and, of course, he ignores the rules,” Stevens said. “So if they enforce these rules, which I think they will, I would not be surprised if Trump walks off the stage at some point out of frustration that he can’t keep talking.”
During his last round of presidential debates ahead of his 2016 victory, Trump came across as “the guy on the plane next to you who won’t shut up,” Stevens said. Meanwhile, Trump has set a low bar for Biden with digs at his age and questions surrounding his cognitive function, Stevens said.
“They say he has dementia, and he can’t speak in full sentences,” Stevens said. “That’s not a very high bar. Most people can pass that.”
