The previous most-watched show in CNN history was in 2015, when the Republican debate between presidential candidate Donald Trump and a host of Republican rivals averaged 23.1 million viewers.
Since the first debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden in 2020, television audiences have fallen by 73 million. Fox News then had the highest number of viewers: 8.8 million. The debate was also followed by CNN and ABC News, with 8.7 million people each, and another 3.9 million Americans watched MSNBC. These are just some of the 22 television channels that are simultaneously broadcasting the debate.
The record-breaking debate marked one of the closest moments of the presidential race, and Biden’s shaky performance immediately sparked panic among Democrats about the viability of his re-election bid.
