Trump-Biden Town Hall Live Updates: Trump concludes event, Biden criticises SCOTUS

In the town hall that has become contentious early on, Trump was asked about releasing his tax returns. To which the US President said that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) "treats me very badly". When the moderator mentioned that there is no law that would prohibit him from showing his tax returns, Trump said, "nobody in their right mind would do that" and that his tax returns are under audit which is a process. 

Meanwhile, on the contrary, in the peaceful town hall with Biden, he has been taking straight questions by the voters in Philadelphia. "Besides 'you ain't Black,'" the man asked, how could Biden convince Black voters to take part "in a system that has failed to protect them?" To this, Biden gave a lengthy response highlighting his own economic and educational proposals. He also cited his stand on criminal justice reform and racial wealth gap. “If you have a problem figuring out whether you’re for me or Trump, then you ain’t black," he said.

Followed by that, Biden conceded that the emission of methane was a matter of concern, and the brief earthquakes caused by drilling. However, he argued that it could be dealt with by being “managed very, very well.” In a standout moment, the mother of a trans child asked Biden a question about her daughter’s rights and how he would protect them. Citing how the Trump administration had attacked the rights of Trans people, she asked, "How will you ensure that the lives of LGBTQ people are protected?" "I will change the law," replied Biden. He not only noted the high death rate of transgender people but also proposed how he would change the laws to offer protection.

At last, when Biden was asked by the moderator what he would say about the United States if Trump wins, the former US VP said, "It could say that I’m a lousy candidate and I didn’t do a good job, “I hope that it doesn’t say that we are as racially, ethnically and religiously at odds with one another as it appears, as the president wants us to be."

Meanwhile, Biden defended aspects of the 1994 crime bill, which he had authored, and called it a “mistake.” However, he blamed some of the bill's most destructive effects on the state governments.

“Yes, it was mistake,” Biden said when pressed. “But the mistake came in terms of what the states did locally.” Before mentioning his work on the Violence Against Women Act and an assault weapons ban, Biden said, “The crime bill itself did not have mandatory sentences, except for two things. It had three strikes and you’re out, which I voted against in the crime bill, but it had a lot of things in it that turned out to be both bad and good."

The former US VP also reiterated that he would decriminalize marijuana.

After answering almost all questions that were directed at him, Joe Biden concluded the town hall after nearly 90 minutes. George Stephanopoulos closed the event by asking former US VP if Trump would take a COVID-19 test before the next debate. To this, Biden said, "It’s just decency,” Biden said. “I’m less concerned about me than the guys with the cameras.”

When asked about if there will be another debate with Republican contender and the US President, Biden said, "I expect to be there.”

Ending 30 minutes after Trump's town hall in Miami, Biden wrapped up the peaceful event in Philadelphia. In the series of questions asked by voters, Biden opposed the Green New Deal,  doubled down on his opposition to a ban on fracking, and what it would say on losing the US Elections 2020. 

The former US VP was asked about the Green New Deal, which his campaign website has described as a “crucial framework” for climate policy. Biden said, "My deal is a crucial framework but not the New Green Deal,” Biden said, mispronouncing the name of the plan.

‘Today’ show host Savannah Guthrie, moderator of Trump's NBC News Town Hall opened the question by asking straight forward question about US President's coronavirus tests. From addressing the jam-packed audiences at campaign rallies to when Trump had the last COVID-19 test, the Republican leader replied by saying he "probably" did take the test. Trump said that he takes "tests all the time" and that he "can't be locked up in a room".

"I don't know, I don't even remember. I test all the time. I can tell you this. After the debate, like, I guess, a day or so, I think it was Thursday evening, maybe even late Thursday evening, uh, I tested positive. That's when I first found out," Trump said.

 “I probably did, and I took a test the day before,” he said.

Meanwhile, Joe Biden is attacking Trump's COVID-19 response while answering questions by George Stephanopoulos at ABC News. The former US VP said that while it was the presidential responsibility to "lead" the nation, Trump ended up making misguiding remarks about the pandemic such as "it's going to go away". Biden also touted his own seriousness of the global health crisis and that he started wearing masks, limited gatherings "early on".

"The president was informed how dangerous this virus was,” Biden said.

After dodging questions on who he owed $421 million or whether he wants to see Roe v Wade overturned, Trump concluded the town hall by saying that he should be reelected because he has "done a very good job". 

Guthrie said, “You are running as a pro-life Republican. Most pro-life Republicans would like to see Roe v Wade overturned and abortion banned." To this, Trump replied, "I am telling you I don’t want to do anything to influence anything,” In another remarkable incident in Miami, a voter opened a question to the US President by saying "You’re so handsome when you smile," and then asked about the DACA program. 

Trump avoided the question by simply saying, "We’re going to take care of DACA."

Meanwhile, Joe Biden criticised Trump Supreme Court Justice pick, Amy Coney Barrett’s performance before the Senate judiciary committee.

My reading online — what the judge said was, she didn’t answer very many questions at all,” Biden said of Barrett.

Minutes into both the town halls, while Trump and Guthrie appear to have heated discussions on a range of topics including the issue of white supremacy, Biden and  Stephanopoulos are leading a rather peaceful debate with more questions being answered. Trump was asked about the QAnon conspiracy group and he was reluctant in answering. US President said, "I just don’t know about QAnon.”

When the moderator further pressed by saying "you do know", Trump replied, “No, I don’t know!” However, he had retweeted the post by the controversial group. When asked about why he reported the video if he didn't know about the group, Trump reiterated that a retweet is not an endorsement.

The US President was also asked about him not denouncing white supremacy in the first presidential debate, to which he replied, "I denounced white supremacy".

Joe Biden, who has been repeatedly saying that he has a plan to handle the COVID-19 pandemic as opposed to Trump, also said that he would take the vaccine only if the scientists approve. 

“If the body of scientists say (it’s ready) and it’s been tested, it’s gone through the three phases – yes, I would take and I would encourage people to take it,” he answered a question by a voter who brought up a comment made by his running mate Senator Kamala Harris. In the vice-presidential debate with Mike Pence, Harris said that President Trump would push forward a COVID-19 vaccine for political purposes.

Donald Trump and Joe Biden will appear on NBC News and ABC America respectively at 8 PM (EST) on October 15 or 5:30 AM (IST) October 16, that is, just a few minutes away.

After the first presidential debate on September 30 between US President Donald Trump and Democratic Presidential Nominee Joe Biden, while the desperation for their second face-off was spiking, the October 15 event was cancelled.

Now, in an unprecedented turn of events involving Trump’s COVID-19 diagnosis and then refusing to take part in a virtual debate, both contenders for US Election 2020 will hold town halls, simultaneously and separately from two different places addressing two different sets of American voters.

Here are the live streaming links: