NBC News To Host Town Hall With Trump On Thursday After Debate Canceled

President Donald Trump will participate in a town hall event in Miami on Thursday hosted by NBC News, the network announced Wednesday.

The town hall, which NBC News said would be outside and socially distanced, will take the place of the previously scheduled debate between Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden. Biden is scheduled to appear in a separate town hall event at the same time.

The Commission on Presidential Debates canceled last week’s debate after Trump, hospitalized earlier this month for COVID-19, refused to participate in a virtual version of it.

ABC News announced last week that it would host a town hall event with Biden in Philadelphia on Thursday. It will be hosted by ABC’s George Stephanopoulos.

NBC’s Savannah Guthrie will moderate the town hall with Trump.

The dueling events are scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. 

Biden and Trump were previously slated to participate in their second presidential debate during that time slot, but Trump’s illness put those plans on pause.

The Commission on Presidential Debates announced on Thursday ― about a week after Trump revealed he tested positive for the coronavirus ― that the debate would be held virtually in light of the president’s health. But Trump fiercely pushed back, saying he wanted it held in person or he wouldn’t waste his time attending.

After the Trump and Biden campaigns scheduled separate events for that night, the debate commission had no choice but to cancel the second debate.

“It is now apparent there will be no debate on October 15, and the CPD will turn its attention to preparations for the final presidential debate scheduled for October 22,” the group said last week.

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