The US presidential debate between Democratic nominee Kamala Harris and Republican nominee Donald Trump drew 57.5 million television viewers across seven networks, Reuters reported on Wednesday, citing preliminary data from Nielsen.
The debate, which took place on Tuesday night and was moderated by ABC News, marked the first in-person meeting between the candidates ahead of the November 5 presidential election.
This viewership figure surpassed the approximately 51 million who watched Trump debate President Joe Biden in June. However, the numbers do not account for the increasing trend of online streaming, as traditional TV audiences decline.
Additionally, it excludes those who watched the debate in public venues like bars and restaurants.
The record for the most-watched presidential debate was set in 2016, when 84 million people tuned in to see Hillary Clinton face off against Trump.