Even though he has consistently polled far ahead of the other GOP candidates vying to be the 2024 presidential nominee, it looks like Donald Trump won’t be present at the Republican National Committee’s first debate later this month.
In a Wednesday interview with Newsmax, the former president revealed that he “wouldn’t sign the pledge,” that the RNC includes as a requirement for debate participants.
“Why would I sign a pledge?” said Trump during the interview with Eric Bolling. “There are people on there that I wouldn’t have.”
In June, the RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel announced the that the first Republican presidential primary debate would take place in Milwaukee, Wisc. on Aug. 23. Her announcement included a list of candidate criteria. Regarding the candidate pledge, it said candidates must agree not to participate in any non-RNC sanctioned debate for the remainder of the election cycle, to support the eventual party nominee.
According to the Associated Press, Trump – who has faced three indictments this year, as well as other legal issues – is even considering holding a competing event. Other candidates who meet the RNC requirements to participate in the debate include Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who often polls in second behind Trump; South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott; former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, former New Jersey governor Chris Christie, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum and former Vice President Mike Pence.
As of Tuesday, former Arkansas governor Asa Hutchinson, Miami, Fla., Mayor Francis Suarez, radio host Larry Elder, Michigan businessman Perry Johnson and former Texas congressman Will Hurd had not qualified, per the AP.
“While Trump refused to define to host Eric Bolling which candidates he would never endorse for president, he was very critical of former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis at times in the interview,” Newsmax said.
Trump has spoken out against the pledge in the past. Back in April, Audacy reported that he criticized the requirement in a Truth Social post. According to Breitbart, he also said last week that participating would be “sort of foolish.”
McDaniel, along with FOX Business, the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute, Univision, and Rumble, announced Wednesday that the Republican presidential primary debate that will take place Sept. 27 at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. The New York Times reported Thursday that when asked for comment on Trump, the RNC referred to past interviews in which McDaniel “has defended the pledge and said the committee will hold everyone to it.”
Related
Related
