In a recent interview on the conservative cable network Newsmax, former President Donald Trump made it clear that he will not sign a pledge to support the Republican nominee if he loses the GOP presidential primary. This decision goes against the requirement for appearing in the first debate scheduled for later this month.
When asked why he wouldn’t sign the pledge, Trump stated, “Why would I sign it? I can name three or four people that I wouldn’t support for president. So right there, there’s a problem.” Although he declined to name the candidates he wouldn’t support, he did mention South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, praising them for being “very nice.”
While Trump mentioned that he will announce next week whether he’ll participate in the debate, his refusal to sign the pledge indicates his intention to follow through on his threat to skip it. He has frequently questioned the necessity of debating his rivals, given his significant lead in the polls, and has even hinted at potentially hosting an alternative event.
In response to former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s taunts, Trump dismissed the idea of participating in a debate when he already holds a substantial lead. He emphasized that it’s not a question of courage but rather intelligence.
So far, eight candidates have met the qualification criteria to be on stage in Milwaukee, with former Vice President Mike Pence recently announcing that he has secured enough donors. Candidates must meet polling and donor requirements set by the Republican National Committee, including achieving at least 1% in three reputable national polls or a combination of national and early-state polls between July 1 and Aug. 21. Additionally, they must have a minimum of 40,000 donors, with at least 200 from 20 or more states.
Candidates are also required to sign a statement pledging not to participate in any debates that are not sanctioned by the party, including the general election debates sponsored by the Commission on Presidential Debates, and to support the winner of the Republican primary.
The pledge states, “I affirm that if I do not win the 2024 Republican nomination for President of the United States, I will honor the will of the primary voters and support the nominee in order to save our country and beat Joe Biden.” Some candidates, such as Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, have criticized this pledge, particularly those who have been openly critical of Trump.
Former Texas Rep. Will Hurd is the only candidate who has definitively stated that he will not sign the 2024 pledge. However, he has not met the polling and fundraising thresholds required to attend the debate. Hurd has made it clear that he will not support Trump, who has faced three indictments, if he becomes the eventual nominee.
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