JD Vance, Tim Walz face off in high-stakes vice presidential debate

Ohio Sen. JD Vance and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz have taken the debate stage.

The vice presidential picks are making their pitches to voters across the country, with Vance expected to zero in on the the southern border and Walz set to focus on abortion access and other reproductive rights. The Ohio senator and Minnesota governor will also trade jabs on the economy and which ticket can bring down costs for Americans.

The Republican and Democratic VP nominees, who have both touted their Midwestern roots on the campaign trail, are facing off in New York City. You can follow along with the CBS News Vice Presidential Debate Tuesday, October 1st, at 9 p.m. ET on CBS or simulcast on www.usatoday.com.

Keep up with the USA TODAY Network’s latest updates.

Trump questions brain injuries of US soldiers in Iraq

As Vance made final preparations, Trump made headlines by appearing to denigrate military personnel with brain injuries.

During a news conference in Milwaukee, a reporter asked the former president if he should have been tougher on Iran after more than 100 U.S. soldiers reported brain injuries after a 2020 missile strike on Ain al-Asad airbase in Iraq.

Trump began his reply by talking about the soldiers rather than Iran.

“First of all, injured?” he said. “What does injured mean? Injured means, because they had a headache? Because the bombs never hit the fort?”

−David Jackson

What happened during the Trump-Harris debate?

Harris and Trump met for the first time during ABC News’ Sept. 10 debate. A national poll by the outlet found that 58% of Americans thought Harris won the debate in comparison to the 36% who felt she lost to Trump.

The pair shook hands when they walked out stage, but quickly began sparring over Project 2025 and who presents a threat to democracy.

Memorable moments from the first debate included Harris defending abortion access and Trump pushing false claims about Haitian immigrants eating pets in Springfield, Ohio.

– Rachel Barber

Pete Buttigieg, Tom Emmer step in for Tim Walz and JD Vance debate prep

Tim Walz and JD Vance have been prepping for tonight’s debate with the help of some high-profile figures.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg helped out Walz by acting as Vance during mock debates and practice. It wasn’t his first time acting as a Republican vice presidential contender, either. Buttigieg played former Vice President Mike Pence during debate prep for Kamala Harris back in 2016.

Rep. Tom Emmer, R-M.N., stood in as Walz, his fellow Minnesotan, for Vance’s debate preparation sessions.

– Karissa Waddick

Donald Trump: JD Vance is ‘a warrior’

Donald Trump gave a pre-debate shout-out to JD Vance, telling reporters in Milwaukee that his running mate will do well because “JD is very much a warrior.”

The former president also said he gave Vance some advice: “I said, ‘JD, have a lot of fun.'”

–David Jackson

Joe Biden to Tim Walz: ‘Coach, I got your back’

President Joe Biden sent a note of support for Gov. Tim Walz ahead of his face-off with Sen. JD Vance for the vice presidential debate.

“Coach, I got your back tonight!” Biden wrote in a post on X. “Tonight, America will see the strong, principled, and effective leader I’ve known for years—and the contrast you and Kamala provide against the other team.”

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Tuesday would not say whether the president will be watching the debate, saying that he will be “very, very busy” as his administration addresses Iran’s attack on Israel and the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.

“He has complete confidence in Tim Walz,” Jean-Pierre said.

– Rebecca Morin

Foreign policy top of mind after Iran strike

Foreign policy will be front and center during Tuesday’s debate after Iran launched a major missile strike against Israel.

“Unfortunately, it does look like we are getting closer and closer to WWIII,” Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., said. “That is not good for anybody, forget your politics or anything else. So, what’s your vision and what’s the strategy around global conflict to bring about world peace?”

Already, Republicans are trying to paint the Biden and Harris administration as culpable for turmoil in the Middle East. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., said the attack placed a renewed importance on national security – and she predicted it would be one of the moderators’ first questions.

“That raises the stakes, and it also provides an opportunity for JD Vance to compare the peace through strength, and the peace – specifically in the Middle East – under President Trump, versus this chaos and catastrophe that we’re seeing around the world,” Stefanik said.

– Haley BeMiller

GOP lawmaker criticizes Joe Biden’s response to Helene devastation

Both Walz and Vance are widely expected to address the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene across parts of the Southeast. But another leader, Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., criticized President Joe Biden’s leadership ahead of the debate as relief efforts continue.

“I think if there is a concern, the concern is, frankly, is President Biden equipped at this point to lead the federal government at this very perilous time for people in North Carolina and Georgia, in the Panhandle in northern Florida, the Big Bend area and parts of South Carolina and Tennessee? These are serious questions that need to be asked and answered.”

He continued to tell reporters in the spin room: “And I think a key question for the Vice President of the United States Kamala Harris is ‘can Joe Biden do that job, since he’s no longer running for the election?’”– Sam Woodward

Trump changes his mind, turns down ’60 Minutes’ interview

Donald Trump, who has said he will not debate Kamala Harris again, is also passing up another campaign tradition: A pre-election interview with CBS’ “60 Minutes.”

“After initially accepting 60 Minutes’ request for an interview with Scott Pelley, former President Trump’s campaign has decided not to participate,” the CBS program said in a statement posted on the X social media site.

In announcing an interview with Harris to air on Oct. 7, “60 Minutes” said: “For over half a century, 60 Minutes has invited the Democratic and Republican tickets to appear on our broadcast as Americans head to the polls.”

It added that “our original invitation to former President Donald Trump to be interviewed on 60 Minutes stands.”

Asked about the dispute, Trump told reporters in Milwaukee that the program owes him an apology over its coverage of Hunter Biden, particularly materials from his laptop. “I’ve asked them for an apology,” Trump said. “Let’s see if they do it.”

– David Jackson

Teachers show up to support Walz

Gloria Winograd, a music teacher in New York City of 40 years, celebrated the day of her retirement right outside the CBS studio hours before the vice presidential debate.

Winograd, along with a crowd of other teachers who are part of the American Federation of Teachers, gathered around the front of the building in New York City at 4:30 p.m. to show their support for Harris and Walz.

She said she is terrified of Project 2025 and what’s in the document created by a conservative think tank.. “Can you imagine if they get rid of the Department of Education” she said to NorthJersey.com.

The educator, who has been a part of the American Federation of Teachers for decades, thinks Harris and Walz is the best option for teachers because she said they are “reasonable people.” Over 100 people turned out for the teachers’ rally outside the event to chant and listen to speakers. The group started dispersing around 5:15 p.m.

– Lucas Frau

Can JD Vance overcome gender gap among voters?

JD Vance has faced scrutiny for his comments about women and families, including criticism of “childless cat ladies.” But Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., disputed that he’s a liability for the Trump campaign on Tuesday.

“JD Vance has talked about his personal story, about how important women have been in his life,” the lawmaker told reporters in New York. “When it comes to his grandmother to help him set his goals. When it comes to his wife, Usha, who is incredibly well accomplished, graduated top of her class at Yale, is accomplished in her own right.”

Tonight’s debate, Stefanik said, is an “an opportunity to speak directly to the American people about that.”

Recent polls in the swing states of Pennsylvania and Michigan found women overwhelmingly support Harris over Trump. Stefanik said the campaign has an advantage with male voters and is working to close the gender gap.

“I’m a believer, as the highest-ranking woman in Congress that all issues are women’s issues – so economic issues, as well as border issues, as well as issues related to IVF,” she said.

– Haley BeMiller

What are the debate rules?

The candidates’ microphones will remain live during the debate, even when it is their opponent’s turn to speak, CBS News announced. The live microphones mark a departure from ABC News’ debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump whose microphones were muted when they faced off Sept. 10.

Like the presidential debate, CBS News announced that there will be no live audience for the showdown between Vance and Walz. The network also said the candidates will stand for the event although vice-presidential hopefuls typically sit for their debate.

Both will be given two minutes to answer questions they will not receive ahead of time and two minutes to respond. They will each be given the opportunity to make a closing statement. Neither will be allowed pre-written notes or props.

– Rachel Barber and Joey Garrison

Walz may have been in Nebraska, not China, during Tiananmen Square protests: Reports

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s time in China could be a point of contention during Tuesday’s vice presidential debate in New York, particularly after recent reports alleged that he may have been misleading about being in the East Asian country around the time of the deadly Tiananmen Square pro-democracy protests.

Walz has previously stated that he traveled to China for a teaching position in 1989, weeks before the Tiananmen Square massacre in Beijing. He even recalled his time in the country during a 2014 Congressional-Executive Commission on China hearing honoring the 25th anniversary of the protests.

Discrepancies in Walz’s account of his travels arose when the Washington Free Beacon, a conservative news publication, shared conflicting reports placing the governor in Nebraska around the time of the protests.

The Alliance (Neb.) Times-Herald featured a photo of Walz touring a Nebraska National Guard storeroom on May 16, 1989. The photo’s caption says Walz “will take over the job” of staffing the storeroom from a retiring guardsman and “will be moving to Alliance,” Nebraska, CNN reported.

Read more here.

– Jonathan Limehouse

What time is the debate? ET to CT, MT and PT

Let’s talk time zones. The vice presidential debate between JD Vance and Tim Walz kicks off at 9 p.m. ET. That’s 8 p.m. CT, 7 p.m. MT and 6 p.m. PT.

– Marina Pitofsky

Who is Tim Walz? What to know about the Minnesota governor

Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate Tim Walz, 60, is Minnesota’s governor.

The outspoken Midwestern statesman is a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party who was elected to run the state in 2018 and won reelection in 2022.

Walz was born in Nebraska in 1964 and moved to Minnesota in 1996. Before he entered politics, Walz served in the Army National Guard and worked as a high school teacher and football coach.

A moderate Democrat, he was elected to represent a red Minnesota district in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2006. He was the ranking member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee for two years and served in the chamber until he was inaugurated governor in 2019.

– Rachel Barber

Who is JD Vance? What to know about the senator, ‘Hillbilly Elegy’ author

JD Vance is Donald Trump’s running mate and a Republican senator from Ohio. Vance, who served in the Marines, was elected in 2022 with no prior political experience. Still, he has garnered plenty of name recognition from his 2016 memoir, “Hillbilly Elegy.”

The book, later turned into a Netflix feature film, detailed Vance’s journey from a childhood riddled by drug addiction and abuse to Ohio State University, and a Yale Law School degree that opened doors for him in Silicon Valley.

– Rachel Barber and Haley BeMiller 

Trump name-calls Walz in hours before the debate

Trump’s personal insults against his Democratic rivals hit a new low Monday when he described Walz as a “moron.”

The latest rhetoric from the ex-president – who this past weekend called Harris “mentally impaired” – came as he argued that tonight’s debate will be “rigged” against his running mate, Vance.

Trump has long attacked Walz for his description of him and Vance: “Weird.”

– David Jackson

Calm before the storm

Hours before JD Vance and Tim Walz are set to go head-to-head in their only scheduled debate, a small number of protestors lined the sidewalk out of CBS Studios in New York City. Around 40 pro-Harris demonstrators gathered holding signs and chanting for the vice president and the Minnesota governor.

Down the block, a handful of pro-Trump supporters stood with signs and flags, including the Israeli flag and calling for peace in the Middle East.

A police and security presence is growing as the clock ticks to 9 p.m. ET and politicians head to the Manhattan studio to defend their party’s VP pick.

– Sam Woodward

Usha Vance is a ‘spirit guide’ to husband JD Vance and has evolved with him on Donald Trump

JD Vance’s criticisms of professional women – as childless cat ladies or “miserable” women who prioritize career over children – might suggest his own spouse would be a model traditional housewife.

Instead, Usha Vance is a model high-achieving child of Indian immigrants.

Usha Vance was one of the top students at Yale Law School (according to classmates) where she met her future husband, JD, now the junior senator from Ohio and Donald Trump’s running mate. She held prestigious clerkships and worked as a corporate litigator for a white-shoe firm until July.

But Usha Vance is also a bit of an enigma to those who have followed her evolution from registered Democrat to reportedly believing Trump was responsible for inciting the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol, to now potentially becoming the second lady.

Read more here.

– Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy

Who are the debate moderators?

“CBS Evening News” managing editor and anchor Norah O’Donnell, and “Face the Nation” moderator Margaret Brennan will moderate Tuesday’s debate. Brennan is also the network’s chief foreign affairs correspondent.

– Rachel Barber

Pre-debate, former presidents wish Jimmy Carter a happy 100th birthday

As they wait for the vice presidential debate, political observers across the world are pausing to honor former President Jimmy Carter on his 100th birthday – including most of his living successors.

The Carter Center, which has been posting video tributes to the 39th president all day, included statements by former Presidents Joe Biden, Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton.

“Mr. President, you’ve always been a moral force for our nation and the world,” Biden said in a video featuring excerpts from ex-presidents – most of them.

Not appearing in the video: Donald Trump.

– David Jackson

Can I watch the debate without cable? Livestream options.

Those without cable, can stream the CBS News Vice Presidential Debate Simulcast,” online using CBS News 24/7 and Paramount+.  Viewers can also watch the event live on USA TODAY’s YouTube channel.

– Rachel Barber

‘I think he’ll do well’: JD Vance’s old grocery store boss says ahead of VP debate

More than two decades before he was a vice-presidential candidate, JD Vance was a cashier in Ohio at Middletown’s Dillman Foods.

Vance’s stint as a 17-year-old grocery clerk influenced his political views. He wrote in “Hillbilly Elegy” that observing the habits of rich and poor shoppers and seeing how people “gamed the welfare system” with food stamps first made him realize liberal policies “weren’t all they were cracked up to be.”

Steve Dillman, Vance’s boss at the grocery store, said Vance was a quiet, nice, typical teenager. When asked how he thinks Vance will perform in tonight’s debate, he told The Enquirer: “I think he’ll do well.”

“He was a neighbor kid from a neighbor family,” said Dillman, who knew Vance’s grandparents. “He was a good employee. He was honest. He was dependable. He was always in a good mood. He was, fortunately for me, someone I didn’t have to babysit.”

– Victoria Moorwood

B-I-N-G-O! Play along with tonight’s debate 

USA TODAY debate bingo is back, with cards for tonight’s vice-presidential face off. The rules are simple and classic:

• Each person playing receives a card, chock full of issues and topics the candidates may mention while on stage

• Once Vance or Walz makes a reference, cross off the square containing that term

• The first to reach five squares in a row, vertically, horizontally or diagonally, wins!

Download or print the cards here.

– Savannah Kuchar and Fernando Cervantes Jr. 

Where is the debate being held?

The debate is scheduled to take place at the CBS Broadcast Center in New York City.

– Gabe Hauari

How to watch Vance, Walz debate

The vice presidential debate will air in full on CBS News. Other outlets including C-Span, PBS News, and Fox News will also broadcast the event. You can follow along with USA TODAY here.

– Rachel Barber

Vance to make spin room cameo

JD Vance is expected to take a page from Donald Trump and appear in the spin room after Tuesday’s debate, according to the Trump campaign. Also appearing on Vance’s behalf Tuesday:

• Donald Trump Jr.

• Trump adviser Jason Miller

• Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton

• Alabama Sen. Katie Britt

• Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York

• Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida

• Cantor Fitzgerald CEO Howard Lutnick, who was appointed as co-chair of Trump’s transition team should he win in November.— Haley BeMiller

Who’s in the spin room for Walz

According to the Harris-Walz campaign, the following people will be in the spin room for Walz:

• Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota

• Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona

• Governor Jared Polis of Colorado

• Governor JB Pritzker of Illinois

• U.S. Representative Jasmine Crockett of Texas

• Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison

• Senator Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico

– Joey Garrison

Climate activists protest outside debate venue hours before primetime

Climate activists associated with the Sunrise Movement, an organization that advocates for political action on climate change, protested outside the CBS Broadcast Center in New York City ahead of the debate.

The Sunrise Movement posted on X, formerly Twitter, that the young people were “protesting to demand tonight’s VP debate include a question about climate change and Hurricane Helene.”

The Sunrise Movement shared on X that police were arresting the climate activists. It is unclear how many activists were arrested.

– Sudiksha Kochi

Presidential polls today: Where do Harris, Trump stand in the polls?

Kamala Harris narrowly leads Donald Trump in most national and swing state polls. The results, however, are close enough that the race remains a virtual toss-up.

The latest Real Clear Politics Average of national polls showed Harris ahead of Trump by just 2 points.

– Karissa Waddick

What channel is the VP debate? What to know about the host network

CBS News is hosting the VP debate. The outlet originally proposed four dates to the candidates. Both accepted the invitation to debate Oct. 1.

– Rachel Barber

Catch up before you tune in

Vance and Walz are set to take the stage at 9 p.m. ET Tuesday. Before they face off, here’s what to know.

– Savannah Kuchar

National and global backdrop for tonight’s debate

Tuesday’s debate comes days after Hurricane Helene made landfall, wreaking havoc in the Southeastern states, with many Appalachian residents still in the process of recovery.

Helene’s death toll reached at least 100 on Monday, and hundreds of people are still missing. As of this morning, 1.5 million homes remain without power.

Trump made a visit to Valdosta, Georgia, Monday, and Biden is expected to travel to hard-hit North Carolina on Wednesday.

Walz said Monday he had been in touch with North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper and “our hearts are just breaking.” Vance and Walz may also address the disaster while on stage tonight.

Also on Tuesday, hours before the candidates are set to take the stage in New York, Iran launched a ballistic missile attack on Israel.

The attack follows Israel’s aggressive airstrikes and limited ground raids against the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group.

– Savannah Kuchar

How Vance, Walz are prepping for the debate

Vance and Walz are expected to face off in New York in what could be one of the most high-stakes VP debates in history – and both candidates are taking their prep very seriously.

Walz has been focusing on cross-country campaigning while the governor and core staff have been informally prepping for the debate between stops. Formal work started this past week, with Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg playing Vance during mock sessions, according to a source familiar with their efforts.

Walz took a walk through downtown Petoskey on Monday and toured several local stores with his wife and daughter as a short break from debate prep.

House Republican Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., has played Walz during mock sessions with Vance, according to ABC News.

“I’ve known Tim probably since he was first elected almost 20 years ago, and I worked with him directly for four years, I spent the last month just going back, all of his old stuff, to get his phrases down, his mannerisms, that sort of thing,” Emmer said in an interview with “This Week” co-anchor Martha Raddatz. “My job was to be able to play Tim Walz so JD Vance knows what he’s going to see.”

– Sudiksha Kochi, Sam Woodward and Karly Graham

Trump plans to blog the debate

The Vance-Walz debate will draw a ton of running commentary on social media, including from one particularly biased source: Trump.

“I will be doing a personal PLAY BY PLAY of the Debate,” Trump said on his Truth Social account, though he made clear he’s already decided the winner.

Trump cast the contest as one between the “Brilliant” Vance and the “Highly Inarticulate” Walz.

– David Jackson

What time will Vance and Walz debate? 

The debate between the Ohio senator and Minnesota governor is scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. ET on Oct. 1. CBS is hosting the showdown.

– Marina Pitofsky

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: VP debate live updates: Vance, Walz face off in high-stakes debate