Trump Advisor Says Ex-President May Skip Initial Republican Presidential Primary Debates

On Tuesday, Donald Trump‘s long-time adviser, Jason Miller, stated that the former president is unlikely to participate in the initial Republican presidential primary debates, despite not having made a final decision yet.

What Happened: In an interview with NewsNation, Miller reinforced Trump’s stance that his strong polling numbers make it unwise for him to join the other candidates on the debate stage, The Hill reports.

“At the moment, President Trump has indicated that he’s unlikely to participate, at least in the first two debates. He’s up by 30, 40, and even new polling shows he’s up by almost 50 percent in certain places,” Miller said. The first 2024 Republican presidential primary debate is scheduled for August 23 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

See Also: Trump Avoiding GOP Debate? Chris Christie Says He Is ‘Afraid' Of Opponents

Why It Matters: This development follows Trump’s previous indications of hesitance towards participating in the GOP primary debates, as reported by Benzinga.

The former president, leading in the polls, has expressed concerns about giving his rivals an opportunity to challenge him on the debate stage. Trump’s potential absence from the debates could significantly impact the dynamics of the GOP primary race.

Miller also mentioned that Trump is committed to debating President Biden in the general election if they are both nominated. “We look very much forward to taking on Joe Biden, which is really what this race is going to be about,” Miller said.

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