The upcoming September 10 debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris is raising red flags over potential bias, with ABC News, under the oversight of Dana Walden, set to host the event. Walden, a longtime friend of Harris and a Biden appointee, has close personal and financial ties to the Democratic ticket, leading some to question whether the debate will be conducted fairly.
Walden’s connections to Harris are well-documented. The two have been friends since the 1990s, and Walden and her husband introduced Harris to Doug Emhoff. The Waldens have been consistent donors to Harris’s campaigns and have hosted multiple fundraisers for her over the years. Harris has publicly acknowledged their role in her personal life, crediting them with setting up her marriage.
Although ABC News asserts that Walden is only involved in corporate functions and not editorial decisions, the concern remains that her proximity to Harris could influence the debate. These worries are compounded by reports that Harris’s campaign has requested changes to the format, including a seated debate and the use of notes—requests that Trump’s campaign has strongly opposed.
Adding to the controversy is Walden’s 2023 appointment to the President’s Export Council, where she serves as an advisor on trade issues. Her dual roles in both the Biden administration and at ABC News have led critics to question whether the debate can be truly impartial. With both campaigns at odds over the rules and Walden’s involvement under scrutiny, the debate’s fairness is already being called into question.
