Politics Second Presidential Debate Canceled After Trump Refuses to Agree to Virtual 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 Commission on Presidential Debates said in a statement Friday By Ashley Boucher Published on October 9, 2020 10:00 PM Share Tweet Pin Email Former Vice President Joe Biden (left) and President Donald Trump at Tuesday night's debate. Photo: OLIVIER DOULIERY/Getty Images The second presidential debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump, which had been scheduled for next week, has been canceled. "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 Commission on Presidential Debates said in a statement Friday, CNN reported. The nonpartisan commission previously said the town hall-style debate scheduled for next Thursday would move to a remote, virtual format out of health concerns in the wake of a coronavirus outbreak in the White House. Trump said in a statement Thursday night that there was "no medical reason" why the second debate should be postponed or moved to a virtual setting despite his testing positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) last week. Trump Insists He Would Be Well Enough for In-Person Debate as Biden Agrees to Replacement Town Hall by Himself Biden's campaign said that they would have agreed to a virtual format for the debate, but after learning Trump would not participate, scheduled a town hall event of its own to air on ABC News. "Vice President Biden looks forward to making his case to the American people about how to overcome this pandemic, restore American leadership and our alliances in the world, and bring the American people together," said Biden campaign spokesperson Andrew Bates in a statement to CNN. "It's shameful that Donald Trump ducked the only debate in which the voters get to ask the questions — but it's no surprise." Trump Tells Sean Hannity He's Ready for In-Person Events After Hospitalization (but Keeps Coughing) The Trump campaign's communications director called the commission "biased" in a statement Friday, saying that "there is no medical reason to stop the October 15 debate in Miami from proceeding as scheduled, since the president will be healthy and ready to debate." Speaking on Fox News Friday evening, Trump, 74, said he would "have no problem with" holding the town-hall style debate outdoors. "Who wants to do a debate on a computer? I don’t," he said, adding, "outside would be fine as far as I'm concerned."