Team Biden Has Yet to Consent to Trump Campaign’s Request for an Earpiece Check Before Debate

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AP Photos/Patrick Semansky, Andrew Harnik

UPDATE:  There is no evidence to support that either candidate wore an earpiece the night of the debate.

**Original story**

Democrat presidential candidate Joe Biden’s team reportedly declined the Trump campaign’s request to have the ears of both candidates inspected for listening devices prior to the first presidential debate despite previously agreeing to such an inspection.

According to reports ahead of the first head-to-head debate, President Donald Trump’s team requested that a third party check the ears of both candidates to ensure there are no listening devices — a request that the former vice president’s team has declined.

This represents a drastic shift from the Biden campaign, as his team reportedly agreed to a pre-debate inspection just days ago:

On Sunday, Trump “strongly” demanded a drug test for “Sleepy Joe” either before or after the debate.

“Naturally, I will agree to take one also. His Debate performances have been record setting UNEVEN, to put it mildly. Only drugs could have caused this discrepancy???” he said:

The Biden campaign’s Kate Bedingfield responded to the president’s request, stating that the former vice president “intends to deliver his debate answers in words.”

“If the president thinks his best case is made in urine he can have at it,” Biden’s deputy campaign manager continued. “We’d expect nothing less from Donald Trump, who pissed away the chance to protect the lives of 200K Americans when he didn’t make a plan to stop [Chinese coronavirus].”

The debate, taking place in Cleveland, Ohio, is slated to begin at 9:00 p.m. Eastern.

This article was updated September 29 at 12:45 p.m. Eastern to reflect that Joe Biden reportedly declined an earpiece inspection request.

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