The vice-presidential debate, held on Wednesday night between Mike Pence and Kamala Harris, was a far more measured affair.

The next 90-minute presidential event is due to be held at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Miami, with local residents in the audience posing questions to the candidates.

But the commission said candidates would have to take part “from separate remote locations”. Participants and the moderator would be in Miami.

The commission said the decision had been made “to protect the health and safety of all involved”.

The moderator is C-SPAN political editor Steve Scully. Mr Trump described him on Thursday as a “never Trumper”.

Mr Trump had previously said he looked forward to debating Mr Biden on stage and, on Monday, Mr Biden said he would share a stage with Mr Trump as long as medical experts gave the go-ahead.

A statement on Thursday from Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien, who had also previously tested positive for Covid, said the decision of the commission to “rush to Joe Biden’s defence” was “pathetic” and Mr Trump would have posted “multiple negative tests” before the debate.

Biden communications director Kate Bedingfield said: “Vice-President Biden looks forward to speaking directly to the American people and comparing his plan for bringing the country together and building back better with Donald Trump’s failed leadership on the coronavirus that has thrown the strong economy he inherited into the worst downturn since the Great Depression.”