Tuesday, the former president made a threat to skip the GOP primary debates because he felt he hadn’t been informed about them and that the moderators would be antagonistic toward him.
The opening debate for the Republican presidential contenders will take place in Wisconsin, on August 2023, and the Republican National Committee indicated in February that it was contemplating holding 10 to 12 debates between August and the time of the RNC in the summer of 2024. The second debate will take place in Simi Valley at the Ronald Reagan Library, close to Los Angeles, California, the RNC said last week.
RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel, who had been endorsed by Trump in her personal re-election campaign to defeat Harmeet Dhillon, informed the RNC members on Feb. 23 that “At this time, No Additional Debates Are Being Sanctioned, Nor Has The Definitive Criteria Of The First Debate Been Established. We still have a ways to go, but I am convinced we can present our final nominee in a first-rate manner.”
According to a tweet by Trump on Tuesday, “I see that everyone has been talking about the upcoming Republican Debates, but no one got my consent, or the approval from the Trump Campaign, prior to releasing them. Why expose yourself to being libeled and mistreated when you’re ahead by figures that appear insurmountable and hostile networks with furious, TRUMP & MAGA hating presenters are asking the ‘questions’?”
With the remark, “Also, the Second Debate is going to be hosted at the Reagan Library, whose Chairman is, astonishingly, Fred Ryan, Editor of The Washington Post,” Trump criticized the venue for the second debate. “NO!”
Trump has previously snubbed debates. He declined to take part in a Fox News debate in January 2016 after he asked that Megyn Kelly, a former Fox News presenter who had moderated a prior Fox News debate, be fired. Trump instead hosted a veteran’s charity event.
Trump’s declaration that he will probably not attend the Republican presidential debate scheduled for Salt Lake City, Utah, in March 2016 led to its cancellation. “Fox & Friends” quoted Trump as saying, “I believe we have had enough debates.”
“Donald Trump declared this morning that he will not be taking part in the debate. Shortly after, John Kasich’s team declared that Kasich would not take part in the debate without Trump.” Fox News reported that “Ted Cruz has said he would debate either Trump or Kasich, or even both. But clearly, more than one person is required. Therefore, the discussion in Salt Lake City is postponed.”
