President Joe Biden and Former President Donald Trump will face off in the first 2024 presidential debate on June 27 at 9 p.m. ET, broadcast by CNN. They will discuss key issues including the economy and reproductive rights.
Climate Change
Trump opposes most climate change legislation. During his presidency, he withdrew the U.S. from the Paris Agreement and rolled back various environmental regulations. He has advocated for increased domestic oil and gas production and opposes existing government subsidies for wind power development.
In contrast, Biden rejoined the Paris Agreement upon taking office and announced the American Climate Corps to train young people for climate crisis roles. He set a national goal to halve greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and aims for a 100% carbon-pollution-free power sector by 2035. Biden has also provided multiple incentives for green energy use, including $7 billion in solar power grants for low-income individuals. His administration has restricted drilling and mining in Alaska’s wilderness and mandated that coal-fired power plants cut emissions by 90% by 2032.
Crime and Policing
Trump supports increased powers for police, claiming that Democratic policies are leading to crime sprees in big cities. Despite a Gallup poll showing 78% of Americans agree that crime is on the rise, FBI data contradicts this perception. During his term, Trump signed the First Step Act into law, which expanded early-release programs and reduced certain mandatory minimum sentences. He also issued several high-profile pardons and commutations.
Biden advocates for safer communities with police accountability. He has distanced himself from calls to “defund the police.” To address gun violence, he has urged Congress to reinstate a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines and to require universal background checks. His 2023 budget proposal included increased funding for law enforcement to combat gun violence.
Education
Trump supports dissolving the U.S. Department of Education and shifting control to the states, despite states already controlling funding and curricula. He wants to give parents more influence in school operations and has taken firm stances on cultural issues, such as banning transgender students from school sports. He praised the Supreme Court’s rulings against affirmative action in higher education and criticized Biden’s efforts to cancel student loan debt, celebrating the Supreme Court’s 2023 decision to strike down part of Biden’s plan.
Addressing student loan debt has been a priority for Biden, despite legal challenges. His Education Department’s alternative actions have provided $160 billion in debt relief for nearly 4.6 million borrowers as of May 2024. On K-12 education issues, Biden has opposed book bans and criticized Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill, which restricts education on gender identity and sexuality.
Economy
Trump is highly rated by voters for his handling of the economy. His 2017 $1.5 trillion tax overhaul is set to expire in 2025. While he criticized the growing federal debt, critics note it increased under his watch. Trump has been skeptical of free trade, initiating a trade war with China during his term.
Biden believes in boosting the economy from the middle out and bottom up. His economic plan included the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, a post-pandemic stimulus package. He proposed raising the minimum corporate tax from 15% to 21%, restoring the Child Tax Credit, making the healthcare tax credit permanent, and providing a $400-a-month tax credit for new home buyers to reduce mortgage costs. Republicans argue that Biden’s policies are responsible for rising inflation and slowing the economy.
Foreign Policy
Trump’s “America First” agenda remains skeptical of free trade and international alliances, like NATO. While he has called for reduced U.S. defense commitments, he criticized Biden’s plan to withhold key weapons from Israel if it fully invades southern Gaza, expressing strong support for Israel in its conflict with Hamas.
Biden’s foreign policy has been tested by the Israel-Hamas war, with young voters protesting on campuses across the U.S. He supports Israel while advocating for a temporary ceasefire and increased humanitarian aid for Palestinians. Biden secured additional support from Congress for Ukraine and Israel, despite criticism from some voters. He reaffirmed U.S. support for NATO. Critics often highlight the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan, which his administration acknowledged could have been handled differently.
Health Care
During his term, Trump unsuccessfully attempted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Now, he aims to improve and make it cheaper without specifying a plan. He increased funding for substance use disorder treatment amid the opioid epidemic and declared it a public health emergency. On the campaign trail, Trump focuses on combating fentanyl spread and targeting Mexican drug cartels.
Biden aims to expand Affordable Care Act coverage and lower prescription drug costs, calling health care “a right, not a privilege.” He enabled Medicare to negotiate prices for certain drugs and capped seniors’ annual costs at $2,000. Biden proposed changes to private Medicare plans to improve senior health care and allocated $12 billion to underfunded women’s health research.
Immigration
Trump has pledged the largest deportation and border arrest programs in U.S. history, continuing his hardline stance from his initial campaign. He vowed to build a wall on the southern border, though he did not complete it during his presidency. His administration’s family separation policy drew international condemnation, and he sought to ban travelers from several Muslim-majority countries.
Biden faces pressure to address the undocumented immigrant population. He supported a bipartisan border security bill, which failed to pass after Trump deemed it insufficient. Biden aims for a “safe, orderly, and humane” immigration system, continuing some border wall construction with Trump-era funds. He has expanded legal pathways for immigrants from countries like Venezuela, Cuba, Haiti, and Nicaragua.
Reproductive Rights
Trump believes states should set their own abortion laws, disappointing some abortion opponents. He has criticized six-week bans without specifying what he would support and has not clarified his stance on mifepristone, the abortion pill. Trump supports exceptions for rape, incest, and medical emergencies. During his presidency, he appointed three Supreme Court justices who voted to overturn Roe v. Wade.
Biden supports abortion access and aims to restore Roe v. Wade rights. He has prioritized protecting access to mifepristone and celebrated Ohio’s 2023 constitutional amendment protecting abortion rights. His administration has worked to protect reproductive care access for service members.
