Trump Says He Won't Be Joining The GOP Debates: 'The Public Knows Who I Am & What A Successful Presidency I Had'

Ex-President Donald Trump has confirmed his non-participation in the upcoming GOP primary debate.

What Happened
Trump announced his decision to not participate in the first Republican primary debate of the week. The former president justified his decision by stating that the public is already familiar with his identity, reported CNN.

It remains uncertain whether Trump intends to skip all scheduled debates or only the upcoming one. Despite his recent post, a Trump adviser disclosed to CNN that the former president might consider participating in a future primary debate.

Trump has expressed his reluctance to debate at the Reagan Library, the venue for the second debate, and has privately voiced his dissatisfaction with never being invited to speak at the location.

On Sunday, Trump took to Truth Social to say that he was leading the latest CBS poll by “legendary” numbers. He said he had the backing of 62% of those surveyed and was 46 points above Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. The ex-president said that rival candidates like Vivek Ramaswamy and former Vice President Mike Pence were polling 7% and 5% respectively.

Trump said, “The public knows who I am & what a successful Presidency I had…I WILL THEREFORE NOT BE DOING THE DEBATES!”

The first primary debate of the 2024 cycle is set for Wednesday. Trump has been considering skipping the debate for weeks, given his lead in the polls. Instead, he plans to sit for an interview with former Fox News Host Tucker Carlson, multiple sources confirmed.

Despite Trump’s decision, Republican officials were still trying to persuade him to participate in the debate as of Sunday morning.

RNC chair Ronna McDaniel expressed her hope that Trump would reconsider and join the debate. "I think it's so important that the American people hear from all the candidates," McDaniel stated on Fox News.

See Also: Republican Congressman Criticizes Trump’s Attacks On Justice System

To qualify for the debate, candidates must meet specific donor and polling criteria, and sign a loyalty pledge expressing their commitment to back the eventual Republican nominee.

Several candidates including Pence, DeSantis, and others have already qualified for the debate.

Why It Matters

Trump's decision to potentially skip the GOP primary debate has been a topic of discussion for weeks. Earlier in August, reports surfaced that Trump was considering counterprogramming, including media appearances during the debate.

His decision not to participate has drawn criticism from fellow Republicans. Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie accused Trump of showing a "lack of respect" towards Republican voters.

Meanwhile, a super PAC supporting DeSantis released an ad targeting Trump’s readiness for the debate, calling him "too weak to debate."

Trump's refusal to sign the Republican National Committee's (RNC) loyalty pledge is also causing complications. Not signing the pledge weakens the RNC’s position and adds another layer of uncertainty to the upcoming GOP primary debate.

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