Early TV ratings data show drop for second Trump-Biden debate

An estimated 55.2 million people watched Republican President Donald Trump debate Democratic challenger Joe Biden on the six largest U.S. broadcast and television networks on Thursday, CNN reported, citing preliminary Nielsen data. Updated ratings, including viewership on cable channels, will be released later on Friday. For the September debate, preliminary figures showed 62 million people tuned in on those same networks, CNN said.

An estimated 55.2 million people watched Republican President Donald Trump debate Democratic challenger Joe Biden on the six largest U.S. broadcast and television networks on Thursday, CNN reported, citing preliminary Nielsen data. The numbers fell from initial figures for the pair's first face-off in September. Updated ratings, including viewership on cable channels, will be released later on Friday.

For the September debate, preliminary figures showed 62 million people tuned in on those same networks, CNN said. During the Thursday night event, Biden renewed his attacks on Trump's handling of the coronavirus pandemic, while Trump leveled unfounded corruption accusations at Biden and his family. It was the last televised face-off before the Nov. 3 election.

Trump initially adopted a more restrained tone than he did during the first debate, which was quickly derailed by his constant interruptions. Final ratings data for that matchup showed the TV audience averaged 73.1 million, ranking as the second-biggest telecast of the year. The most-watched presidential debate in U.S. history was a 2016 event between Trump and Hillary Clinton, seen by 84 million TV viewers.