The New York Times reported that numerous people said President Donald Trump plans on skipping the first GOP debate for an interview with Tucker Carlson online:
In the past 24 hours, Mr. Trump has told people close to him that he has made up his mind and will skip the debate in Milwaukee, according to two of the people briefed on the matter.Mr. Trump is notoriously mercurial, and left himself something of an out to change his mind with an ambiguous post on his website, Truth Social, on Thursday. He wrote that he’s polling well ahead of his rivals and added, “Reagan didn’t do it, and neither did others. People know my Record, one of the BEST EVER, so why would I Debate?”For weeks, the former president has been quizzing aides, associates and rally crowds about what he should do. Until earlier this week, Mr. Trump had been giving people the impression he was considering a last-minute surprise appearance on Wednesday.
The Republican National Committee is sponsoring the first debate with Fox News as a host.
It would also be a slap in the face for Fox News because the network has been at odds with Carlson since taking his show off the air. He’s still under contract with the network.
Trump has railed and ranted against Fox News, and yet we’ve seen him give the network exclusive first statements after an indictment or anything else happens.
So some people think Trump decided months ago not to debate, but other top people at Fox have the impression “that he was open to and even seriously considering their entreaties:”
Fox News executives and personalities have been lobbying the former president, both publicly and privately, to participate in the debate. But Mr. Trump has been openly attacking Fox and has privately vented his animosity for the chairman of Fox Corporation, Rupert Murdoch.Even so, Mr. Trump has privately also given top executives and anchors at Fox the impression that he was open to and even seriously considering their entreaties.Earlier this month, Mr. Trump hosted for dinner the Fox News president Jay Wallace and the network’s chief executive, Suzanne Scott, who had gone to Bedminster hoping to persuade Mr. Trump to come to the debate. They left the dinner believing there was a decent chance he would show up, according to two people familiar with the dinner.
Without Trump, the debates are a dud.
With Trump, everyone will tune in.
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