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The first 2020 Biden–Trump debate drew an estimated 73.1 million television viewers ages 2 and older, according to Nielsen. That was fewer than the 84.011 million who watched the first Clinton–Trump debate in 2016, but more than the 63 million for the candidates’ final 2020 debate. These are audience estimates—not household ratings or a count of everyone who watched online.
How many people watched Trump’s presidential debates?
Nielsen’s reported audience totals show that debate viewership varied from one faceoff to the next. The 2016 figures below are Nielsen’s “Sum of Networks Live + Same Day” estimates for viewers ages 2 and older. The 2020 totals include out-of-home and connected-TV viewing.
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| Debate | Estimated viewers ages 2+ | Coverage and measurement detail |
|---|---|---|
| First Clinton–Trump debate, September 26, 2016 | 84.011 million | 13 networks aired live coverage. Nielsen reported a 27.8 Persons 2+ rating, as well as 56.371 million households and a 47.6 All Households rating. Those household figures are separate measures, not additional viewers. Nielsen |
| Second Clinton–Trump debate, 2016 | 66.548 million | 11 networks aired live coverage; Nielsen’s Persons 2+ rating was 22.1. Nielsen |
| Third Clinton–Trump debate, 2016 | 71.562 million | 12 networks aired live coverage, and Azteca also aired the debate on tape delay. Nielsen’s Persons 2+ rating was 23.8. Nielsen |
| First Biden–Trump debate, 2020 | 73.1 million | 16 networks aired live coverage. Nielsen’s total includes out-of-home and connected-TV viewing. Nielsen |
| Final Biden–Trump debate, 2020 | 63 million | 15 networks aired live coverage. Nielsen’s total includes out-of-home and connected-TV viewing. Nielsen |
Did Trump’s debate ratings fall each time?
No. The 2016 audience declined from 84.011 million for the first debate to 66.548 million for the second, then rose to 71.562 million for the third. The first 2020 debate drew 73.1 million viewers, while the final one drew 63 million. The pattern was not a steady decline across every debate.
How did the 2020 audience rank historically?
Pew Research Center’s historical comparison places the first 2020 Biden–Trump debate, at 73.1 million viewers, third among televised presidential debates. It ranks behind the first Clinton–Trump debate in 2016 and the 1980 Carter–Reagan debate, which Pew lists at 80.6 million viewers. The ranking is Pew’s comparison, not a count of every person who watched on every platform. Pew Research Center
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What “ratings” means in these figures
Viewers and ratings are related but different measures. A viewer estimate counts people in the measured audience; a rating expresses that audience relative to a defined population. Nielsen’s 2016 report gives both a Persons 2+ audience and ratings. For the first debate, it also reports households and an All Households rating. A household rating is not interchangeable with a count of people watching.
Nielsen says the 2020 debate totals include out-of-home and connected-TV viewing. Connected-TV viewing can contribute substantially to televised political-event audiences; Nielsen said it could account for as much as 11% in such events. Its historical hub separately lists ad-supported-only audiences of 71.5 million for the first 2020 debate and 61.7 million for the final debate. Those narrower figures should not be substituted for the broader 73.1 million and 63 million totals. Nielsen historical TV ratings hub
The estimates describe Nielsen-measured television audiences, not all possible viewing. Pew notes that streaming and online viewing are not fully represented in the Nielsen figures it cites. The totals therefore should not be presented as the complete number of people who watched the debates on any device or platform.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the audience figures show
The first Clinton–Trump debate had the largest audience among the debates listed here. The first Biden–Trump debate also drew a larger estimated television audience than either the second or third 2016 debate, while the final 2020 debate drew fewer viewers than the first. Comparisons are most useful when the audience measure and coverage are kept clear: viewers ages 2+, household ratings, networks carrying live coverage, and inclusion of out-of-home or connected-TV viewing are not identical measures.
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