Donald Trump, Joe Biden to hold competing town halls instead of second debate

US President Donald Trump will participate in a town hall with
NBC News on Thursday, as per an AFP report. Donald Trump, who is seeking
re-election in the upcoming presidential election in November, was slated
to participate in a debate with Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden on
October 15 at Miami.

The event, however, had to be cancelled following Trump’s positive
coronavirus diagnosis. While the option of a virtual debate was briefly touted
by the committee, President Trump was quick to rebuke it.

Democratic nominee Joe Biden is also scheduled to appear in
an ABC town hall on Thursday at 8 pm. Trump’s decision to schedule his town
hall on the same time as Biden has set up a direct scheduling clash with rival
Joe Biden’s town hall.

Also Read: Joe Biden ‘the single worst candidate in the history of America’: Donald Trump

Trump’s town hall, will “take place outdoors
and in accordance with the guidelines set forth by health officials, also
consistent with all government regulations,” said Hoda Kotb of NBC’s Today show on Wednesday.

National Institutes of Health Clinical director Clifford
Lane, in a statement, said NBC News have concluded, through PCR test
analysis, “with a high degree of confidence” that President Donald Trump
is “not shedding infectious virus.”

NBC News also said it had received a statement from the
clinical director at the National Institutes of Health and lead infectious diseases
expert Anthony Fauci that Trump is now not shedding infectious virus.

The NBC town hall will be moderated by Savannah Guthrie, who will
sit 12 feet away from the President, as per CNN report. All attendees in the town hall
must follow the diktat of wearing a face mask at all times.

Following Trump’s withdrawal from the second presidential
debate Joe Biden and his team collaborated with media outlet ABC to announce
their plans to hold a town hall.

Democratic nominee Joe Biden’s decision to participate in the
town hall elicited a response  from President
Donald Trump’s campaign, who then entered talks with NBC. The NBC decide to host
a town hall following reports of Trump testing negative for the virus.

Also Read: Joe Biden, Donald Trump duel in battleground states 21 days from election

As per a CNN report, US President Donald Trump is either lagging
Biden or is neck and neck with his Democratic contender Joe Biden in various
national polls across key swing states.