What was the viewership for the Harris-Trump debate?
In their initial—and likely only—debate on Tuesday, presidential candidates Donald Trump and Kamala Harris created quite the buzz. But did this excitement translate into viewers?
Not quite as much as during Trump’s debates in 2016 and 2020. Approximately 67.1 million viewers watched the 105-minute exchange, produced by ABC News, based on Nielsen’s estimates shared by the network. The debate was broadcasted across CBS, NBC, Fox, CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News, with additional viewership from platforms like YouTube, but these numbers don’t account for data from PBS or streaming services which will be released later this week.
Viewership for this debate was 31% higher compared to the infamous CNN debate between Trump and President Joe Biden, which attracted 51.3 million viewers on June 27. Biden’s lackluster performance in that debate was a factor in the swift end of his re-election campaign shortly after.
In comparison, 84 million viewers watched the intense debate between Trump and Hillary Clinton in 2016, setting a record for presidential debate viewership. Trump’s first match against Biden in 2020 saw around 73 million viewers, with Biden later winning the election that November.
The topics discussed during the debate included immigration, abortion, and the economy. However, the standout moments included Trump’s claims about migrants in an Ohio town supposedly eating dogs and his continued unfounded statements asserting he won the 2020 election.