Donald Trump has said he will skip the Republican presidential primary debates against party rivals for the White House.
He said polling showed he had “legendary” numbers in his bid to be declared the Republican nominee for the 2024 election.
Writing on his Truth Social media platform, he said: "The public knows who I am & what a successful Presidency I had. I WILL THEREFORE NOT BE DOING THE DEBATES!"
It was not clear if he would skip all of the debates or just those already scheduled.
The first Republican presidential primary debate will be on Wednesday, with at least two more debates expected in the coming months.
Voting in the primaries begins in Iowa on January 15, but more debates are likely to be held to help narrow the field.
Trump, the front runner for the party’s nomination, had said for months he saw little upside in joining his rivals on stage when they gather for the first time in Milwaukee on Wednesday, given his commanding lead in the race.
“Why would I allow people at one or 2% and 0% to be hitting me with questions all night?" he said in an interview in June with Fox News host Bret Baier, who will be serving as a moderator.
Mr Trump has repeatedly criticised Fox, the host of the event, insisting it is a “hostile network" he believes will not treat him fairly.
He floated the idea of sitting for an interview with ex-Fox News host Tucker Carlson, who has been hosting a show on Twitter.
The New York Times reported on Saturday the interview set to air on Wednesday has already been taped, but Trump’s spokesperson refused to confirm it.
Trump has been criminally indicted four times, which means he will have to attend trials in 2024 while also running for president.
He has claimed that he is the victim of a political witch hunt over the charges, which centre around his conduct in the 2016 and 2020 elections.
He could face jail time if convicted, although this is seen as unlikely by many experts.
