CLEVELAND — President Donald Trump and Joe Biden are going head to head in the first presidential debate of the year – and it’s being hosted in the city of Cleveland on Tuesday.
With the debate quickly approaching, Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson hosted a virtual press conference Monday to discuss the city’s plans.
"This is a historical debate. And it's a very important debate because we have two candidates that are so different not only in terms of personality, but their ideology and approach to life," Jackson said at the start of the briefing.
The following people also spoke during Mayor Jackson’s press conference:
- Cleveland Police Chief Calvin Williams
- Safety Director Karrie Howard
- FBI Special Agent in Charge Eric Smith
- Representatives from the U.S. Secret Service and the Ohio National Guard.
Last week, Jackson asked Gov. Mike DeWine for assistance from the Ohio National Guard during the debate. Cleveland Police Chief Calvin Williams emphasized that the role of the national guard in Cleveland is to support law enforcement. "They're here to make sure people exercise their constitutional rights," Williams stated.
During the briefing, Jackson was asked if the city planned to impose a curfew on Tuesday. "It's not our plan to impose a curfew pre-debate. What happens during the debate will determine what decision we make.
"Cleveland has been a peaceful place lately," Jackson said at the close of his briefing. "Let's keep it that way and show people how great Cleveland is."
You can watch the entire virtual news conference in the player below:
The debate will take place from 9-10:30 p.m. at the Health Education Campus of Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland Clinic inside the Sheila and Eric Samson Pavilion.