Donald Trump has definitively stated that he will not be present at the initial Republican primary debate scheduled for Wednesday.
This announcement was made via a post on his newly established social media platform, Truth Social. Concurrently, reports suggest that Trump is considering various strategies to overshadow the opening event of the party’s nominating competition.
The former president shared his decision on his Truth Social account, reiterating that he will not participate in any primary debates. Trump cited a recent CBS poll indicating his significant lead in the field, stating, “New CBS poll, just out, has me leading the field by ‘legendary’ numbers…The public knows who I am & what a successful Presidency I had. I WILL THEREFORE NOT BE DOING THE DEBATES.
Sources familiar with the matter have indicated that Trump’s objectives for the debate center on diverting attention away from other Republican presidential contenders and publicly undermining Fox News, the debate’s host along with the Republican National Committee. Trump’s dissatisfaction with Fox News’ recent coverage is reportedly a driving factor.
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Over the past weeks, Trump has openly deliberated on whether to participate in the debate or adopt alternative strategies to highlight his political potency, even in the face of multiple criminal charges. The prevailing sentiment among his allies is that he should skip the debate. Instead, Trump plans to release an interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, which he recently recorded.
While he once contemplated the idea of a last-minute surprise appearance at the debate to shift media focus, Trump has cooled on that prospect, according to informed sources.
There were considerations within the Trump camp regarding the potential of scheduling his surrender to authorities at the same time as the debate. This scenario was explored after the Fulton County district attorney charged him with conspiring to overturn Georgia’s 2020 election results. Despite the political team’s push for a Wednesday surrender, Trump’s legal team preferred Thursday as a more realistic option. They intend to finalize logistics with the district attorney’s office on Monday.
During the discussions with the Fulton County district attorney, Fani Willis, Trump’s legal team is expected to negotiate the terms of his surrender, which includes the possibility of releasing his mugshot and weight. The Trump campaign has urged his lawyers to prevent any photographs, as they have already produced a flattering “mugshot” for promotional materials.
Trump’s decision to forego the Fox News debate in favor of an online interview with Tucker Carlson underscores a heightened level of strain between Trump and the network. Despite overtures from Fox News executives and hosts, Trump’s ongoing criticism of the network, spurred by its positive coverage of his rival Ron DeSantis and disagreements with Fox Corporation’s chairman Rupert Murdoch, has solidified his decision.