--- title: Donald Trump Has One Debate Mode: Bullying description: During debates, Trump often turns meanest when cornered. The examples are not hard to find. canonical: https://time.com/6991882/donald-trump-presidential-debate/ author: Philip Elliott article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2024-06-26T11:00:00.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-19T07:43:45.963Z article:section: Politics og:title: Donald Trump Has Only One Debate Mode og:description: Donald Trump often reverts to bullying during debates, calling Hillary Clinton a "nasty woman" and "the devil" in 2016 og:url: https://time.com/6991882/donald-trump-presidential-debate/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt51a7b4d1d5ca5859/698a581b86f68e32046f5444/GettyImages-1277459349.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1024 og:image:height: 576 og:image:alt: Donald Trump And Joe Biden Participate In First Presidential Debate og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Donald Trump Has Only One Debate Mode twitter:description: Donald Trump often reverts to bullying during debates, calling Hillary Clinton a "nasty woman" and "the devil" in 2016 twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt51a7b4d1d5ca5859/698a581b86f68e32046f5444/GettyImages-1277459349.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Donald Trump Has Only One Debate Mode: Bullying > Sponsored content. 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It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, twice a week. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=4d5d2e14-b865-40e2-8353-7e27a845fd01&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1) ## Video: What Makes the 2024 Presidential Debate Different From Previous Elections [Watch (HLS stream): What Makes the 2024 Presidential Debate Different From Previous Elections](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/XeEIRVu4.m3u8) (2:35)  _Published 2024-06-25. Nik Popli breaks down the rule changes for the first 2024 presidential debate._  by [Philip Elliott](https://time.com/author/philip-elliott/)  ## Philip Elliott Senior Correspondent Jun 26, 2024 11:00 AM UTC Nik Popli breaks down the rule changes for the first 2024 presidential debate.  by [Philip Elliott](https://time.com/author/philip-elliott/)  ## Philip Elliott Senior Correspondent Jun 26, 2024 11:00 AM UTC _This article is part of The D.C. Brief, TIME’s politics newsletter. Sign up_ [_here_](https://cloud.newsletters.time.com/signup?nln=dc-brief&source=dc%5Fonsite) _to get stories like this sent to your inbox._ Like most bullies, Donald Trump is a deeply insecure man. You can see it at moments of tremendous [consequence](https://time.com/5895546/donald-trump-covid-19-timeline/) and those where the stakes are clear only in his own mind. It’s apparent whenever anyone dares to [challenge](https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2020/10/15/21518763/savannah-guthrie-trump-town-hall-nbc-miami) him with [questions](https://time.com/6972022/donald-trump-transcript-2024-election/) he cannot simply [spin](https://time.com/6984366/donald-trump-guilty-2024-election/) away with his razzle-dazzle showmanship. And when he feels backed into a corner, there’s a good chance he will [lash out](https://time.com/4247479/republican-debate-donald-trump-general-election/) with every ounce of viciousness held in reserve, counting on the [shock](https://time.com/4158303/donald-trump-hillary-clinton-disgusting-schlonged/) to overtake substance. It’s how, either during past debates or soon after less-than-stellar ones, Trump spoke openly about Hillary Clinton’s bathroom [rituals](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2015/12/21/donald-trump-calls-hillary-clinton-disgusting-for-using-the-restroom-during-a-debate/), moderator Megyn Kelly’s reproductive [system](https://www.politico.com/news/2023/08/22/republican-debate-trump-skip-00112238), and even the size of his own [genitalia](https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/history-donald-trump-small-hands-insult/story?id=37395515). Because if everyone else is [diminished](https://time.com/5943181/donald-trump-cpac-republican-party/) in perceived standing, that only stands to build up the [foul-mouthed](https://time.com/4208878/donald-trump-swears/) Trump by comparison. Trump doesn’t have to win any part of the arguments if everyone else has already lost them just by participating. It’s been more than eight years since Trump first set foot on a debate stage as a presidential candidate. Through the slog of the 2016 primary, to one-on-one matchups with a former Secretary of State and a former Vice President, Trump’s behavior has veered from playful and rakish to angry and unhinged. But the general throughline—beyond the perpetual lying—has been his inclination to retreat to bullying whenever he feels even remotely threatened. This is the Trump that uses his precious little debate time to call Hillary Clinton “a nasty woman,” and “the [devil](https://www.wesh.com/article/watch-trump-calls-hillary-clinton-the-devil/5247882),” or belittle Joe Biden with [jabs](https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/518864-trump-to-biden-theres-nothing-smart-about-you/) like “you graduated either the lowest or almost the lowest in your class.” And it’s the Trump we are likely to see at least glimpses of on Thursday. The former President has been [bragging](https://www.politico.com/newsletters/playbook/2024/06/23/trump-and-bidens-dueling-debate-prep-strategies-00164584) about his indifference to preparing for the evening, telling audiences that Biden has holed-up in a log cabin to rest up, is loaded up on performance-enhancing drugs, and getting favorable treatment already from debate moderators with CNN. ([Biden](https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/06/22/bob-bauer-biden-trump-debate-preparation-00164548) is at the presidential retreat of Camp David in Maryland and has shown no indications of juicing or winning help from a network who negotiated the debate terms with reps from both campaigns.) Trump is trying to bully Biden even before the studio lights go up. Which is what Trump has done with shocking consistency, treating these hallowed events like jam sessions where he riffs on themes and variations of his meandering rally monologues, throwing rivals for a loop. As a first-time candidate in the 2016 cycle, he barely engaged in any debate prep. Instead aides were tasked with making him feel comfortable. After consistent schedule changes to strike formal prep from the books, his campaign team essentially had to [trick](https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-debate-joe-biden-presidential-election-1916224) Trump into doing debate prep in small bursts, occasionally over lunch—until he caught onto what was happening. The goal, according to various memoirs and numerous deft books about the era, was to keep Trump happy because a cranky candidate was one who felt insecure and could say anything. That was what arguably “worked” for Trump for a long time, as millions of viewers tuned into the debates in 2016 to see what wild things Trump would say next. When it came time to face Clinton in that cycle’s head-to-head debates, Trump reached for everything in a bully’s back pocket to try to intimidate her—including invading her physical space, an experience every woman watching immediately [recognized](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2016/10/10/why-was-trump-lurking-behind-clinton-how-body-language-dominated-the-debate/) for what it was. He also [tried](https://time.com/4524362/donald-trump-bill-clinton-accusers-debate/) to bring women who had alleged sexual relationships with former President Bill Clinton into the debate hall. (They were barred.) His [vow](https://apnews.com/united-states-presidential-election-events-8c6d7abff90d4580920c6cfc8591d361) to jail the former Secretary of State for some never-fully-explained crimes drew mild horror. Clinton’s demolition of Trump’s house of cards was devastating and his responses were [disasters](https://time.com/4524589/second-presidential-debate-donald-trump-nuclear/) by objective standards of decorum. Yet Trump was still the victor on Election Day, a reminder that “winning” or “losing” a debate doesn’t always correspond with how voters ultimately behave. Four years later, as a President struggling to guide the country through a pandemic, Trump acquiesced to a semblance of debate prep before facing Joe Biden. Still, he did just about everything he could to dodge the sessions in which his sparring partner, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, was hammering him and making him stammer. (In an only-in-Trump World twist, Christie would [contract](https://www.axios.com/2021/12/09/chris-christie-mark-meadows-donald-trump-covid-19) Covid-19 during one such visit to D.C.; Christie [said](https://twitter.com/FiringLineShow/status/1468987524592848899?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1468987524592848899%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1%5F&ref%5Furl=https%3A%2F%2Fthehill.com%2Fregulation%2Fadministration%2F585139-christie-says-trump-meadows-should-have-warned-him-of-positive) it was certainly from Trump.) Ultimately, per Michael C. Bender’s book about the 2020 campaign, Trump joined 11 debate prep sessions, although aides were perpetually frustrated that the boss was spending more time on his golf courses than in tutorials. They also were not sure that Trump fully appreciated their opponent or the frustration of voters who didn’t spend hours in line to attend his super-spreader rallies. Trump’s first debate with Biden was ultimately seen through a belligerent Trump’s constant interruptions, and Biden’s now infamous plea to the President: “Will you shut up, man?” This was also the debate where Trump, pressed to denounce white supremacists and military groups, [responded](https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-race-and-ethnicity-donald-trump-chris-wallace-0b32339da25fbc9e8b7c7c7066a1db0f) with, “Proud Boys—stand back and stand by.” Days later,Trump [disclosed](https://time.com/5895414/donald-trump-covid-19-election/) he had Covid. (A former White House aide later claimed that Trump had tested positive ahead of the debate and the forum’s moderator openly [theorized](https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/fox-news-anchor-moderator-chris-wallace-believes-trump-infected-covid-19-debate/507-93f3230a-88cf-49f8-b802-c16e048854f1) that Trump brought the virus into the studio.) For safety’s sake, organizers proposed turning the second debate of that year into a virtual one. Trump refused to participate and, instead, Trump and Biden held dueling town hall-style meetings. During his, Trump tried to interrupt and cower NBC News’ Savannah Guthrie. The skilled anchor and former white-collar litigator was having none of it, boxing Trump into a corner when he [refused](https://www.nbcnews.com/video/trump-denounces-white-supremacy-sidesteps-question-on-qanon-93935685787) to condemn conspiracy theories he had re-upped using what was then Twitter. It was a signal that Trump, when confronted with a fast pace, digs in and denies—often to his detriment. Finally, during their second debate—the last time the two men have spoken to one another was that evening in October of 2020—things [seemed](https://time.com/5903061/presidential-debate-live-updates/) to smooth out. (A mute button did a lot of the heavy lifting to [force](https://time.com/5902299/final-presidential-debate-trump-biden/) a wait-your-turn dynamic; it will return on Thursday.) Trump finally took the task seriously and gave answers that may have helped ease the nerves of skittish GOP voters and swayed some undecided independents. But that final debate was on Oct. 22, after 40 million Americans had already [cast](https://time.com/5903061/presidential-debate-live-updates/) their ballots, a point advisers to the Trump campaign still bemoan. Thursday’s debate, on the other hand, is coming before either man officially becomes the nominee. The mutual enmity between the current president and his predecessor will naturally color the tone and substance of whatever unfolds Thursday evening in an Atlanta TV studio. The two oldest nominees in U.S. history are also some of the most dissimilar contenders for another four years in a job both have now done. What remains unknown is if Trump realizes just how much he has already accomplished in politics and decides to ditch the chip on his shoulder. It would be welcome, though completely disorienting, if Trump were to treat Biden like a worthy equal, but the schoolyard snarl is kind of Trump’s established default. Even so, it is never too late to grow up. _Make sense of what matters in Washington._ [_Sign up for the D.C. Brief newsletter_](https://cloud.newsletters.time.com/signup?nln=dc-brief&source=dc%5Fonsite)_._ ## Transcript When President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump meet on the debate stage on June 27, they will do so under a new set of rules designed to avoid the chaotic scenes and frequent interruptions that marked their debates during the last election. The new rules were introduced by CNN, which is hosting the first debate, and they included a number of measures to ensure each candidate's uninterrupted speaking time. The rule changes were proposed as a way to prevent a repeat of the first debate of the 2020 presidential cycle, during which the candidates regularly attacked each other's character. It was during that debate that Trump repeatedly interrupted and Heckel Biden, prompting Biden's memorable retort. West the West just der the left. What you listen. Who is on your list, Joe? This is on your right. Gentlemen, I think this is. The moderator often failed to get the discussion back on track. Both Biden and Trump have endorsed the new rules and committed to participate in the televised debate. For the first time in recent history, the debate will feature two commercial breaks during the 90 minute broadcast, a departure from past events hosted by the Bipartisan Commission on Presidential debates, which did not include corporate advertisements. However, campaign staff will not be allowed to interact with their respective candidates during these commercial breaks, so they can't get strategic advice or touch up their makeup and appearance during this time. Unlike in previous debates, there will be no opening statements this time. Instead, each candidate will deliver a two minute closing statement at the conclusion of the debate. CNN flipped a coin to determine podium placement and the order of closing statements, and the coin landed on Biden's pick tails. Biden chose to stand at the right podium. Trump then opted to deliver the last closing statement, giving him the final word. The debate will begin with a question with candidates each alloted 2 minutes to respond. This will be followed by 1 minute rebuttals and responses to the rebuttals, along with additional time at the moderator's discretion. Visual cues, such as flashing red lights will alert candidates to the remaining speaking time. Another rule change is that microphones will be muted throughout the proceedings, except when it is the candidate's turn to speak. This was a measure aimed at curtailing interruptions that have marred previous debates. Each candidate will also be provided with a pen, note pad, and a bottle of water on stage. However, no props or written notes will be allowed. Perhaps the biggest change this debates, there will be no studio audience. Once again, in an attempt to minimize disruptions during the debate. Typically, audience members are instructed to remain quiet while the candidates are speaking, but that rule has not always been followed. These are some of the ways in which the June 27 debate between Biden and Trump will be different from previous years. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/6991882/donald-trump-presidential-debate/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/6991882/donald-trump-presidential-debate/"},"headline":"Donald Trump Has Only One Debate Mode: Bullying","datePublished":"2024-06-26T11:00:00.000Z","dateModified":"2026-10-19T07:43:45.963Z","description":"Trump often turns meanest when cornered during presidential debates","url":"https://time.com/6991882/donald-trump-presidential-debate/","keywords":["Donald Trump"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt51a7b4d1d5ca5859/698a581b86f68e32046f5444/GettyImages-1277459349.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Philip Elliott","jobTitle":"Senior Correspondent","url":"https://time.com/author/philip-elliott/"}],"articleSection":"Politics","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt51a7b4d1d5ca5859/698a581b86f68e32046f5444/GettyImages-1277459349.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Donald Trump And Joe Biden Participate In First Presidential Debate","caption":"Donald Trump And Joe Biden Participate In First Presidential Debate","creditText":"Scott Olson—Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/politics/","name":"Politics"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/donald-trump/","name":"Donald Trump"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/6991882/donald-trump-presidential-debate/","name":"Donald Trump Has Only One Debate Mode: Bullying"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"What Makes the 2024 Presidential Debate Different From Previous Elections","description":"Nik Popli breaks down the rule changes for the first 2024 presidential debate.","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/XeEIRVu4/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2024-06-25T18:46:55.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/XeEIRVu4.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/6991882/donald-trump-presidential-debate/","duration":"PT2M35S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/6991882/donald-trump-presidential-debate/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```