How Many People Watched The Presidential Debate 2024. A total of 47.9 million people watched the debate on live television thursday across several networks, according early figures. Joe biden’s square off with donald trump drew 47.9 million viewers on television, cnn announced friday — a steep decline from the candidates’ first matchup.
The early numbers show about a 25% decrease viewership of the last vice presidential debate in 2020, and is 36% below the 67.1 million people who watched. Former president donald trump and vice president kamala harris are debating for the first — and possibly only — time before election day.