Former President Donald Trump has made a surprising decision to forgo participation in the first 2024 Republican presidential primary debate scheduled for next week in Milwaukee. Sources familiar with the planning reveal that instead of taking the debate stage, Trump has opted to sit down for a pre-recorded interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, which may be aired during the debate. The timing of the interview has yet to be finalized.
Discussions are currently underway between the Trump campaign and Tucker Carlson regarding when and where the pre-recorded interview will be aired. Carlson’s social media account on X is being considered as one of the main options, although no confirmation has been received from the platform.
When asked to comment, Trump campaign spokesman Steve Cheung responded with, “we cannot confirm or deny, stay tuned.”
In a CBS News poll released recently, it was revealed that Trump maintains a substantial lead over his Republican challengers, with 62% of respondents supporting him. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis trails far behind with 16% of the vote, while other candidates remain in single digits.
Notably, Carlson recently left Fox News following the cable network’s settlement with Dominion Voting Systems for $787.5 million. Dominion had filed a lawsuit against the news outlet, accusing it of spreading false statements regarding the 2020 presidential election. Carlson’s show had featured MyPillow founder Mike Lindell, and Dominion cited the episode as defamatory.
The news of Trump’s decision not to participate in the debate was initially reported by The New York Times and The Washington Post. Trump’s absence comes after he had hinted at his reluctance to debate, stating that when one has a significant lead, it is not fair to be questioned by opponents with lower polling numbers.
Despite pressure from Republican National Committee chair Ronna McDaniel, who recognized Trump’s strong position in the polls, the former president has ultimately decided to abstain from the debate. The Republican National Committee has declined to comment on the matter.
This article was contributed by Fin Gómez, CBS News’ political director.
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