US President Joe Biden and his predecessor and current Republican frontrunner Donald Trump will take part in the first presidential debate on June 27. How do they prepare for the showdown?
Bob Bauer, a personal attorney to Biden, is said to be watching hours of footage of Trump to help prepare the incumbent president for the debates, as per NPR. At Camp David, a mock debate stage was created with least 16 current and former aides working to make Biden look like a vibrant fighter to combat voters' concerns about his age, according to the New York Times.
For his part, Trump is holding "policy discussions" with close allies as well as campaign rallies, to get ready for the debates, as per the New York Post. He isn't getting training in Q&A sessions nor mock debates featuring a stand-in for Biden, as per his campaign spokesperson.
Where do they stand on foreign and domestic policies?
Trump and Biden’s visions on Ukraine and Russia differ greatly. Trump says he would halt arms deliveries if Kiev refuses to enter peace talks with Russia. Biden says he wouldn't force Kiev into talks with Moscow and will continue arming Ukraine, groundlessly claiming that if Russia wins, it would invade NATO states next.
Trump criticizes Biden for promising Ukraine NATO membership, which is "a real problem for Russia." "That's why this war started" he said.
Both candidates vow to support Israel militarily amid its bloody war in Gaza.
Trump is also expected to reverse Biden's "green agenda", unfreeze liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports and step up oil production.
The Trump-Biden first on-stage debate in September 2020 turned chaotic with the participants interrupting each other. During the October 2020 debate, Trump raised the much-silenced issue of Hunter Biden's "laptop from hell". However, by that time tens of millions of Americans had already cast their votes. Mainstream media polls indicated Biden was perceived by the US audience slightly better than Trump at the time.