48 million people watched the presidential debate in the US on Thursday between US President Joe Biden and Donald Trump, as per the preliminary data from American data measurement firm Nielsen.

This figure suggests that the final audience count will be about a third lower compared to the 73 million people who watched the first debate between the candidates in 2020.

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This debate will be among the three least-watched presidential debates since 1976.

The relatively low number compared to previous debates in election cycles could be an indication of voter apathy toward both candidates.

The figure does not include the full range of online viewers, whose numbers have increased as the traditional television audience has shrunk.

Despite the lower viewership, the debate had a notable impact on campaign fundraising. The Biden campaign announced that it raised USD 14 million on Thursday and Friday, while the Trump campaign announced it raised eight million on the night of the debate.

Biden, speaking on Friday, reaffirmed his commitment to defeating Trump in the upcoming presidential election scheduled for November.

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He showed no sign of considering withdrawal from the race, despite a weak performance in the debate that caused discontent among Democrats.

In contrast, Trump, in a speech to his supporters in Virginia on Friday, described voting for Biden as a vote for disaster, destruction, and chaos.