There are reports circulating that former President Donald Trump may skip one or both of the Republican primary debates in 2024. According to sources, Trump is considering this option due to his significant lead in the polls, concerns about the hosting institutions, and the timeline of the debates. Trump is said to have issues with Fox News hosting the first debate, specifically with host Bret Baier. In the past, Fox News has been criticized for being unfair to Trump, particularly in the 2020 election cycle, where host Chris Wallace allegedly allowed Joe Biden to speak uninterrupted, failed to fact-check him, and ignored the Hunter Biden laptop story. Despite these reports, it remains unclear whether or not Trump will ultimately choose to participate in the debates.
Trump posted on Truth Social, saying:
I see that everybody is talking about the Republican Debates, but nobody got my approval, or the approval of the Trump Campaign, before announcing them. When you’re leading by seemingly insurmountable numbers, and you have hostile Networks with angry, TRUMP & MAGA hating anchors asking the “questions,” why subject yourself to being libeled and abused? Also, the Second Debate is being held at the Reagan Library, the Chairman of which is, amazingly, Fred Ryan, Publisher of The Washington Post. NO!
According to Breitbart:
“However, Trump is considering skipping at least one or both of those debates, primarily due to his polling advantage, the hosting institutions, and the timeline of the debates.
“I’m up by too many points,” one associate who spoke with Trump recalled him saying.
“In his mind there’s not enough candidates who are polling close enough to him. And that if he does a debate this early with candidates who are polling in the single digits, there’s no upside for him,” another person familiar with Trump’s thinking, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told the Times.
Regarding the second debate being held at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, the New York Timesreported:
Mr. Trump has told advisers that the second debate is a nonstarter for him because it will be held at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. The chairman of the library’s board of trustees, Frederick J. Ryan Jr., also serves as the publisher and chief executive officer of The Washington Post, a fact that Mr. Trump regularly brings up.
Trump also has issues with Fox News hosting the first debate. As the New York Times detailed:
“Why would I have Bret Baier” question me, Mr. Trump told an associate, explaining a reason to skip the Fox News debate. Mr. Trump was furious with Mr. Baier, a Fox host, over his coverage of the 2020 election, in which Mr. Baier refuted many of the election-fraud claims made by the Trump team.
There is uncertainty surrounding former President Donald Trump’s participation in the 2024 Republican primary debates, with reports suggesting that he may skip one or both debates. In contrast to his position in the 2016 election cycle, when he needed to establish himself as a credible candidate, Trump’s current lead in the polls makes him less reliant on the debates to gain traction with voters. Additionally, some observers have noted that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a potential challenger, has been slipping in the polls while Trump’s popularity remains strong.
Despite this advantage, Trump is aware of the potential challenges posed by Fox News, which could seek to undermine his performance in the debates. Trump’s remarks on social media and in confidential discussions indicate that he lacks interest in joining debates in which he could encounter what he considers an unwelcoming environment from the moderators and unfavorable treatment from the press.
