FLORIDA — Today, former President Donald Trump announced he will skip the Republican primary debate next week. Instead, he’ll sit for an interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, the New York Times reported.
A HOSTILE MOVE AGAINST FOX NEWS?
Last week Trump said he was unsure if he would attend the debate and told Newsmax he would not sign the mandatory Republican National Committee’s (RNC) pledge to support the eventual nominee. Trump argued that he should be exempt from participating in the candidates’ forum because of his massive lead in the polls.
The timing of Trump’s interview with Carlson has not been confirmed. But if the interview is scheduled to air in competition with the debate, it would be seen as a hostile move by Trump against Fox News, which is hosting the debate in Milwaukee next Wednesday.
A MAJOR INSULT
The GOP considers Trump’s decision to skip the first debate a major insult to the national committee. After Trump said he was on the fence, RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel reportedly traveled to Trump’s private club in Bedminster, NJ, to urge the former president to participate in the debate.
So far, eight candidates have met the Republican National Committee’s participation criteria, including Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who told The Florida Standard he’s ready to share his vision to reverse the country’s decline.
Miami Mayor Francis Suarez announced Friday that he would be in Milwaukee to participate in the debate next week, claiming he met the RNCs donor and polling requirements. But minutes after he made the announcement, the RNC refuted his claim stating he had not met the qualifications to pitch his longshot candidacy to a national audience during the debate.
