Joe Biden Sit-Down With George Stephanopoulos Moves To Friday Primetime As Pressure On POTUS Increases From Debate Debacle

The White House’s calibrated plan to convince Americans that Joe Biden is up to another bid for the presidency just hit the hard wall of reality.

Originally scheduled to emerge in dribs and drabs through the week and weekend, Biden’s sit-down with George Stephanopoulos will now air in its entirety in an ABC primetime special on Friday. First announced Tuesday as panic over the 81-year-old incumbent’s stumble-filled June 27 debate with Donald Trump continued, the interview between the former Bill Clinton aide and This Week host and Biden will be conducted in “Wisconsin on the campaign trail earlier on Friday,” ABC News said this evening.

More from Deadline

• Damon Lindelof Says Joe Biden Has To Go & Dems Need To Wake Up; “Stop Giving” Money, Top Donor Insists – Guest Column

• Joe Biden Will “Absolutely Not” Resign, White House Press Secretary Declares; “Not Leaving,” POTUS Tells Staff As Debate Blast Radius Expands

• Joe Biden "Needs To Step Aside," Netflix Co-Founder Reed Hastings Says In Latest MegaDonor Blow To POTUS

The special will air at 8 pm ET/PT.

Of course, ABC being ABC, the network will still try to tease the talk with preview clips on World News Tonight with David Muir on Friday. The Biden interview will also be broadcast again on This Week on Sunday.

Before the Independence Day eve that saw top donors like Damon Lindelof and Netflix’s co-founder Reed Hastings call for the president to step aside, and reported rumors of Biden acknowledging the fragility of his situation, the Stephanopoulos interview would have been extracted in bits and bites over ABC News properties from Friday to Sunday until it was shown on This Week. There was even supposed to be more airing on Good Morning America on Saturday.

With Biden pulling Vice President Kamala Harris even closer to his side as events outpaced any network schedule, clearly that rollout plan began to look outdated.

Stephanopoulos has proved a safe space for a big Biden interview before. When Biden and the administration were left dumbstruck by the horrors of America’s retreat from Afghanistan in the summer of 2021, it was the GMA co-anchor they turned to in the hopes of re-focusing the narrative.

Now, with a White House that has had to insist Biden will “absolutely not” resign or drop off the top of the Democratic ticket, and scripted calls to Executive Mansion staff and campaign employees, that safe space may not prove so safe for the beleaguered POTUS.

Best of Deadline

• Hollywood & Media Deaths In 2024: Photo Gallery & Obituaries

• Here Are All The Songs In 'Despicable Me 4': From Pitbull to BTS

• 'Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F' Soundtrack: From Glenn Frey to The Pointer Sisters

Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.