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Trump, Biden clash in final debate on COVID-19 response, health care, race

Highlights from the final presidential debate before Election Day.

ByLibby Cathey, Adia Robinson, and Lauren King
Last Updated: November 3, 2020, 9:12 AM EST

President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden, the Democratic nominee, faced off in the final presidential debate of the 2020 election cycle from Belmont University in Nashville on Thursday night, marking the candidates’ last chance to pitch themselves to tens of millions of voters in primetime before Nov. 3.

The stakes were high: Trump needed to make his case as polls show him trailing nationally and in several battleground states key to his reelection hopes. At the same time, Biden had a platform to solidify his lead and avoid any major mistakes with Election Day just 12 days away.

Biden spent the week hunkered down in Wilmington, Delaware, to prepare -- what he's done before other debates -- while Trump had seemingly done less to prepare, telling reporters on Wednesday, "I do prep, I do prep," without elaborating. Earlier this week Trump said that answering journalists' questions is the best kind of preparation.

Thursday's debate was supposed to be the candidates' third matchup but is instead the second of only two presidential debates this election. Trump refused to participate in the second debate when it was moved to a virtual format following his COVID-19 diagnosis. The candidates ultimately participated in dueling town halls instead.

Top headlines:

Here's how the evening unfolded. All times Eastern.
Oct 22, 2020, 6:53 PM EDT

Biden plans to focus on reaching at-home viewers

As he boarded his plane to Nashville earlier, Biden spoke briefly with reporters, telling them he's looking forward to the debate and said he hopes Trump plays by the rules. 

"There's plenty of time to talk when this is over, OK? So hopefully he's going to play by the rules. Hopefully everyone's been tested. Hopefully it's all worked out, the way the rules are. I'm looking forward to this," Biden said before getting on the plane.

Democratic candidate former Vice President Joe Biden speaks to reporters at New Castle Airport in New Castle, Del., Oct. 22, 2020, en route to Nashville, Tenn., for the final presidential debate against Republican candidate President Donald Trump.
Carolyn Kaster/AP

Biden's team has remained tight-lipped about their debate preparation for the final debate, but allies and advisers to Biden said they aren't expecting much of a change from either candidate ahead of the crucial matchup.

"I think Joe Biden is prepared for a completely unconventional debate in which the President of the United States does not act presidential (for) one minute. And the challenge is to not be distracted by the Trump show, and to make sure that Joe effectively puts out his positive vision," Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., told ABC News.

The dual town halls of Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and President Donald Trump are seen on television monitors at Luv Child restaurant ahead of the election in Tampa, Fla., Oct. 15, 2020.
Octavio Jones/Reuters

An aide to Biden said the former vice president plans to again focus on his message to viewers at home, but would not be shy about standing up to Trump's interjections when necessary, especially given reports of the president's planned personal attacks on Biden and his family.

-ABC News' Molly Nagle

Oct 22, 2020, 6:39 PM EDT

Previewing the debate topics

The debate between Trump and Biden will run from 9 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. with no breaks for commercials.

The program will be divided into six segments of 15 minutes each with topics decided by the moderator, NBC News White House Correspondent Kristen Welker.

Topics for Thursday’s debate are:

  • Fighting COVID-19
  • American families
  • Race in America
  • Climate change
  • National security
  • Leadership

The Trump campaign made an 11th-hour demand that the debate focus on foreign policy, as opposed to the topics chosen by the moderator, though the campaigns agreed months ago to allowing the moderator to choose the topics.

PHOTO: Audience seating is spaced six feet apart to reduce the risk posed by the coronavirus as crews prepare for the second presidential debate at the Curb Event Center on the campus of Belmont University, Oct. 21, 2020 in Nashville, Tenn.
Audience seating is spaced six feet apart to reduce the risk posed by the coronavirus as crews prepare for the second presidential debate at the Curb Event Center on the campus of Belmont University, Oct. 21, 2020 in Nashville, Tenn. President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden are scheduled to square off for the final debate, 12 days before election day.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Oct 22, 2020, 6:23 PM EDT

Plexiglass removed from debate stage

The debate commission has removed the two plexiglass barriers that were positioned between the candidates' lecterns.

Peter Eyre, senior advisor with the Commission on Presidential Debates, said that circumstances on the ground have changed and it's unlikely that the plexiglass partitions will be put back up, according to a pool report.

The news follows both candidates reporting testing negative for COVID-19. It's unclear if those who accompanied them to travel to Nashville were also tested.

-ABC News' Drew Millhorn

Oct 22, 2020, 6:13 PM EDT

Trump to early vote in Florida on Saturday

The White House announced Trump will vote early in Florida on Saturday. 

"President Trump plans to early vote on Saturday in West Palm Beach, Florida," spokesman Judd Deere said.

It had been expected that the president would vote absentee, because even as he has railed against mail-in voting, he has also justified his own practice of voting absentee in the past.

-ABC News' Jordyn Phelps