U.S. president Joe Biden and Republican Donald Trump say they will hold a debate on June 27CentervillebingoThe first televised stand-off between the two men in 2024 was months earlier than expected. Biden said in a post on X on Wednesday that he had "received and accepted" CNN's invitation to debate with Trump. Trump's campaign later said he also agreed to participate. The event will be held at 9 p.m. New York time in the studio in Atlanta, CNN said in a statement.

Donald Trump (left) and Joe Biden (right) speak during the US presidential debate in 2020.

The decision removes uncertainty about whether Biden and Trump will face off before the November election. Televised debates have become a regular part of the US presidential campaign, but Biden and Trump have been hesitant about the timing and terms set by the non-partisan presidential debate committee. The committee has been in charge of the debate since 1988.

Biden's campaign released a letter to the committee earlier Wednesday saying he would start two debates with Trump in late June, but would not participate in the committee-approved debates scheduled for mid-September and early October.

Jen O'Malley Dillon, chairman of Biden's campaign, wrote in the letter that the previously scheduled debate was too late, by which time many states had already begun to vote early.

Donald Trump lost to me in two debates in 2020. He hasn't taken part in the debate since then. Now he acts as if he wants to argue with me again. All right, then let me have fun, man, "Biden said in a video posted on social media.

The open letter proposes debates in June and September in response to Trump's challenge of debating "anytime, anywhere". Biden's campaign also said it wanted the debate to be hosted by news organizations and held in a television studio, rather than in front of a live audience, as in recent debates.

Trump agreed with Biden's proposed time frame on Wednesday, but opposed other rules proposed by Biden and said he wanted to debate in front of a large crowd.

"I am ready and willing to debate 'liar Joe' at the proposed time in June and September, and I strongly recommend holding more than two debates, with a very large venue for excitement," the former president said in a post on Truth Social after the release of the letter.