DEBATE: Biden, Trump Argue Over Tax Returns

WASHINGTON (AP) —

(8:00 p.m.) 

Joe Biden and Donald Trump are arguing over their tax returns.

Responding to unfounded allegations from Trump during Thursday night’s debate that he’s received funds from Russian sources, Biden noted that he’s released 22 years of taxes, which he says show “I have not taken a penny from any foreign source ever in my life."

Pointing his finger at Trump, Biden asked: “What are you hiding?” He told Trump to “release your tax returns or stop talking about corruption.”

Trump responded that he would like to release his returns “as soon as we can” but reiterated his excuse that he’s under audit, a claim he’s made since he first ran for president in 2016. The president is not actually barred from releasing the documents while they’re under audit.

Trump also responded to the news that he paid just $750 in taxes in 2017, claiming that he was told he “prepaid tens of millions of dollars,” and that the $750 he paid was a “filing fee.”

But Biden again called on Trump to release proof. “Show us,” Biden said. "Stop playing around.”

(7:40 p.m.) 

Former Vice President Joe Biden says any country that interferes in American elections will pay a price if he's elected, saying, “They are interfering with American sovereignty.”

U.S. officials have reported that Russian hackers have targeted the networks of dozens of state and local governments in the United States in recent days, stealing data from at least two servers. Officials are also accusing Iran of being behind a flurry of emails sent to Democratic voters in multiple battleground states that appeared to be aimed at intimidating them into voting for President Donald Trump.

Trump says that nobody has been tougher on Russia through sanctions and pushing for increased military spending by NATO.

The two candidates took questions in their final debate on how they would deter foreign interference in American elections.

(7:30 p.m.)

The final presidential debate is off without a hitch, with President Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden not talking over each other -- at least so far.

The first debate between Trump and Biden deteriorated into bitter taunts and chaos after Trump repeatedly interrupted his opponent with angry — and personal — jabs.

In an effort to curtail interruptions this time, the Commission on Presidential Debates announced that Trump and Biden would each have his microphone cut off while his rival delivered an opening two-minute answer to each of six debate topics.

Trump have been far more restrained during Thursday's debate in Nashville, Tennessee.

The second and final presidential debate of the 2020 election has begun.

President Donald Trump and his Democratic challenger, Joe Biden, are facing off Thursday night in Nashville, Tennessee, more than three weeks after their first debate.

A lot has happened since then: Trump was diagnosed with the coronavirus and spent three days in the hospital.

Organizers initially planned to separate the candidates with plexiglass barriers but removed them hours before the debate began. The candidates took coronavirus tests Thursday, and both campaigns said they came back negative.

The first debate was so raucous that changes were enacted to make the next one more orderly. There’s a mute button this time that will be controlled by a representative of the Commission on Presidential Debates. It will ensure that each candidate has two full minutes uninterrupted to deliver opening answers on six major topics.