Trump Confirms he Will Skip Republican Primary Debate – Donald Trump announced via Truth Social that he won’t be present at the initial Republican primary debate on Wednesday. This comes as reports suggest he’s considering various strategies to overshadow the launch of the party’s nomination contest. The former president confirmed on his social media platform that he would be attending no primary debates.
“New CBS poll, just out, has me leading the field by ‘legendary’ numbers. I WILL THEREFORE NOT BE DOING THE DEBATES.” In line with information from multiple informed sources, the Trump camp has two main goals for the debate. These include diverting attention away from fellow Republican candidates and publicly embarrassing Fox News, the event’s co-host with the RNC. This stems from Trump’s discontent with certain aspects of their recent coverage.
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In recent weeks, Trump has been posing a private question to his aides and publicly to rally crowds: whether he should participate in the debate or opt for a show of his political strength through counter-programming. This comes despite facing four criminal charges. The overwhelming consensus has been for him to skip the debate. Trump has informed his allies of his intention to avoid the event.
He mentioned that his pre-recorded interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson might be released around the same time. At one point, Trump contemplated making a spontaneous entrance into the debate without prior notice, aiming to shift the focus onto his unexpected appearance rather than the candidates’ responses. However, individuals familiar with the situation have indicated that he has since become less enthusiastic about this approach.
The Trump team had considered the possibility of countering events by arranging for Trump’s surrender to authorities, coinciding with the time when he was charged by the Fulton County District Attorney for his alleged involvement in attempting to overturn Georgia’s 2020 election results. While his political advisors were in favor of booking him at the Fulton County jail on Wednesday, his legal team opposed this idea.
Instead, they leaned towards Thursday as a more realistic option and planned to finalize the logistical details with the district attorney’s office on Monday. During the meeting with Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, Trump’s legal representatives are expected to negotiate the terms of his surrender. This includes discussions about whether his mugshot and weight would be released to the public.
The Trump campaign has requested that no photographs be taken, partially due to their creation of a flattering “mugshot” image that they’ve used for promotional purposes. This request comes despite Trump’s previous belief that getting arrested and photographed would project a sense of defiance. The political team has now adjusted their plans, potentially aiming for a surrender on Thursday morning followed by a press conference.
Trump’s decision to opt for an online interview with Carlson rather than participating in the Fox News debate underscores an elevated level of animosity between him and the network. Reports suggest that executives and hosts at Fox News have been making appeals to Trump to join the debate. Last month, the president of Fox News, Jay Wallace, and CEO Suzanne Scott visited Bedminster in an attempt to persuade Trump to attend.
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Leaving with the impression that he might still participate. However, Trump has consistently criticized Fox News, dating back to the launch of his presidential campaign. This has been partly due to the network’s favorable coverage of his 2024 competitor, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, and he has privately expressed frustration towards Fox Corporation Chairman Rupert Murdoch.
