Microphones will be muted at times during the third and final presidential debate between US President Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden.
The Commission on Presidential Debates, the non-partisan body responsible for administering the debates, has announced each candidate will have two minutes of uninterrupted time at the beginning of each 15-minute segment of the debate.
During these two minutes, the opposing candidate's microphone will be muted.
After each has had their two minutes, open discussion will be allowed and both candidates' microphones will be on.
The New York Times is reporting moderator Kristen Welker will not have control of a mute button in order to silence candidates.
In a statement, the commission noted both campaigns had agreed to debate rules allowing an uninterrupted two minutes at the beginning of each segment, and that the muting of microphones is intended to enforce that rule.
"We realise, after discussions with both campaigns, that neither campaign may be totally satisfied with the measures announced today," it said.
"We are comfortable that these actions strike the right balance and that they are in the interest of the American people, for whom these debates are held."
Trump 'committed' to final debate'
The Trump campaign released a statement shortly after the changes were announced, saying the President would still appear at the debate on Friday AEDT.
"President Trump is committed to debating Joe Biden regardless of last-minute rule changes from the biased commission in their latest attempt to provide advantage to their favoured candidate," Trump campaign manager Bill Steipen said.
The Commission announced its plans to make changes for this debate after heavy criticism of the first contest, which featured frequent interjections from the President.
The Biden campaign is yet to offer a comment on the changes.
The second presidential debate was cancelled after Mr Trump did not agree with a decision to make the debate virtual because of his COVID-19 diagnosis.
Mr Stepien had already lashed out at the commission in a letter earlier in the day, objecting to the topics chosen for the final debate, requesting that the entire debate focus on foreign policy.
"The Commission's pro-Biden antics have turned the entire debate season into a fiasco and it is little wonder why the public has lost faith in its objectivity," Mr Stepien wrote.
More to come.
