Biden vs Trump presidential debate: 8 crucial points expected to be addressed

This will be the very first time a president and a former president have debated. It is also the first time either Biden or Trump will be on a debate stage since their two clashes in 2020.

As we brace for the debate, here are 8 things to watch out for:

1. What will Donald Trump focus on, Joe Biden’s record or his personal grievances?

Trump is known for highlighting his personal grievances at campaign rallies and speeches, including over claims of fraud in the 2020 election. These may impress his supporters, but may not convince a broader audience. Therefore, the former president’s advisers have urged him to talk more about issues like the economy, crime and inflation at the debate.

2. How will Joe Biden address the age concern?

Biden, 81, has come under scrutiny time and again for his embarrassing gaffes, mumblings and forgetfulness on stage. At the debate, any callous statement or misstep can go against the president and be distorted by Trump’s allies. In the best-case scenario, Biden would project himself as a confident man who has far more experience than any other president has ever had, owing to his age. In the worst case, he commits another blunder that prompts the world to consider his age to be a leading concern.

3. What will Donald Trump say about abortion?

Trump will always be remembered as the president who appointed the justices who helped overturn Roe v. Wade back in 2022. When he was considering a run for the White House in 1999, Trump told NBC’s Tim Russert on Meet the Press, “I’m very pro-choice. I hate the concept of abortion. I hate it, I hate everything it stands for. I cringe when people debate the subject. But I still believe in choice.”

In the past, Trump said he is proud that Roe v. Wade was overturned by justices he nominated. On another occasion, he avoided tough questions about the issue, including whether he would back a national abortion ban if he is elected president. During Thursday’s debate, he might talk tough on the issue, or deflect and attack Biden, or say that the issue is better left to be dealt with by the states.

4. Will there be scrutiny over inflation under Joe Biden?

Biden has always downplayed the inflation issue that has been raised by Americans during his ongoing presidency. He defended his administration’s economic record and said in an interview with CNN’s Erin Burnett in May, “No president’s had the run we’ve had in terms of creating jobs and bringing down inflation.” He even allegedly falsely claimed that inflation was 9% when he took office. However, inflation actually hit that peak over 16 months into his term. How the issue will be handled during the debate is soon to be found out.

5. What will Joe Biden say about Donald Trump and democracy?

Biden has said at various campaigns and public appearances that democracy will be at stake if Trump is elected president. Earlier this year, Biden said during his State of the Union address, “Not since President Lincoln and the Civil War have freedom and democracy been under assault here at home as they are today.” However, during this debate, Biden will get an opportunity to confront Trump face-to-face for the first time and question him about his denial of the election results that led to the January 6 Capitol riot and other crucial issues.

6. How will Joe Biden address Israel and Gaza?

Biden is expected to talk about the conflict in Gaza and Israel while addressing numerous people with many different opinions on the issue. He is expected to talk about his handling of the US relationship with Israel and Benjamin Netanyahu, but it is hard to predict what exactly he will focus on.

7. What will Donald Trump and Joe Biden say about their opposition on foreign policy?

The world knows about Trump’s affinity for Russian President Vladimir Putin, but it is slightly difficult to explain his views on US and NATO aid to Ukraine. Biden, on the other hand, strongly supports Ukraine, and is also known to be at the forefront of liberal Western Europe, specifically NATO.

8. What will Donald Trump and Joe Biden say about their differences on border and immigration policies?

For Republicans and Trump, the border is a major campaign issue. Trump has said that he would use the power of the federal government to “remove known or suspected gang members, drug dealers, or cartel members from the United States.” In recent days, Biden has come under fire following various brutal crimes committed by illegal immigrants, including the murders of Laken Riley, Kayla Hamilton, Rachel Morin, and Jocelyn Nungaray.

Immediately after Biden took office, he cancelled some of Trump’s hardline immigration policies. Sources have told CNN that Biden might address the issue at the debate by portraying Trump’s policies as extreme, and his own as more appropriate.