Former President Donald Trump is threatening to forego his participation in the upcoming GOP debates, expressing concerns about the approval process and the moderators. In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated that he had not given his approval for the debates and criticized the networks and moderators for being hostile towards him and his supporters.
In the post, the former president wrote:
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!
The Washington Examiner reported:
The Republican National Committee announced the first primary debate will take place in Milwaukee in August and will be hosted by Fox News. The RNC also announced the second debate will take place at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, but the exact date and moderator have not been specified.
RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel has emphasized that candidates must pledge support for the nominee to qualify for the debates. Trump, similar to his stance in the 2016 election cycle, has not definitively committed to making such a pledge. In the past, Trump boycotted one debate during the 2016 GOP primary cycle but eventually participated in later debates.
Although Trump has expressed reluctance about taking part in the debates, he continues to be the undisputed frontrunner among GOP contenders, commanding a substantial lead in the polls.
The question is: Can Trump get away with refusing to participate in the primary debates? There are obvious benefits and drawbacks to going this route. Let’s break them down.
In his post on Truth Social, Trump expressed concerns about the moderators of the debates, stating that they are “hostile” towards him and his supporters. By skipping the debates, Trump can avoid potential bias or unfair treatment from moderators, which he may perceive as detrimental to his campaign. However, it is important to note that Trump has shown himself capable of using opposition to his advantage. If moderators are unfair to him, he could easily exploit their bias to appeal to the base as he has done in the past.
featured image: Gage Skidmore