Former President Donald Trump suggested that he is planning to boycott the Republican primary debates because no one consulted him.
"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," Trump wrote in a Tuesday TruthSocial post.
"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?" he continued. "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!"
Folks wanted a loyalty pledge that basically only benefits the candidate who’s now intimating he may be skipping debates pic.twitter.com/guwlyRA8v3
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) April 25, 2023
USA Today reported that Trump's potential boycott of the GOP debates could be a "diversionary tactic," given that he posted about it on the opening day of the trial in columnist E. Jean Caroll's rape and defamation lawsuit against him.
Former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon, speaking on the Charlie Kirk Show, stated on Tuesday that any planned Republican debates for the 2024 presidential election are "an insult to the president (Trump) and an insult to MAGA – full stop, no debates."
Steve Bannon says any planned GOP primary debates for 2024 are “an insult to the president (Trump) and an insult to MAGA – full stop, no debates.” pic.twitter.com/7yYysmNtak
— Frank Luntz (@FrankLuntz) April 25, 2023
Some critics have characterized the ex-president's post as evidence that he is worried about facing off against other potential GOP nominees, like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
"Is Trump implying he's going to pull a Biden and avoid debates?" tweeted right-wing pundit John Cardillo. "Is he seriously that afraid of DeSantis?"
Is Trump implying he’s going to pull a Biden and avoid debates?
— John Cardillo (@johncardillo) April 25, 2023
Is he seriously that afraid of DeSantis? pic.twitter.com/KEiPxAwTDp
"Trump is afraid to debate now," claimed Ron Filipkowski, a former federal prosecutor and frequent critic of the former president.
Trump is afraid to debate now. pic.twitter.com/EfaIKTYcLA
— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) April 25, 2023
The Republican National Committee announced plans for two debates thus far, including an August debate in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and a later one at the Ronald Reagan Library in Simi Valley, California.
The GOP has already bristled at the idea of working with The Commission on Presidential Debates, with RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel arguing that the commission is "biased and has refused to enact simple and commonsense reforms to help ensure fair debates."
USA Today reported that McDaniel's remark, indicative of widespread ideology in the Republican Party, "underscores how former President Donald Trump reshaped and continues to reshape the GOP, with his complaints about debates in 2016 and 2020 laying the groundwork for the possible withdrawal of Republican candidates in the future."
