Will Trump debate?
Former President Trump is reportedly planning to forgo the upcoming initial Republican presidential primary debate and instead engage in an interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, according to a recent source.
Sources have indicated that Trump has made the choice to abstain from the debate, favoring an interview opportunity with Carlson. The New York Times report highlights that Trump has spent the past days gathering input from associates and supporters to decide whether he should participate in the debate.
In response to inquiries regarding the alleged arrangement between Trump and Carlson, a representative for the former president’s campaign declined to confirm the details and cautioned against jumping to conclusions about Trump’s intentions.
Trump, who currently leads the race for the GOP nomination, has been displaying hesitancy about participating in the August 23 debate. The event, organized by the Republican National Committee and set to air on Fox News, has seen Trump express concerns about potential attacks from fellow Republican candidates.
While Trump has criticized Fox News for what he considers favorable treatment of his political opponents, Fox hosts and executives have been both publicly and privately encouraging him to partake in the debate. This event is expected to attract significant media attention and generate high viewership for the channel.
Trump’s apparent decision to opt for an alternative event hosted by Carlson can be interpreted as a significant move that reflects his reservations about Fox News. This choice is noteworthy given Carlson’s past association with Fox, where he was previously a top-rated host.
In recent months, Carlson has been involved in legal matters, as Fox paid Dominion Voting Systems a substantial settlement following the network’s broadcast of inaccurate information related to Trump’s claims of voter fraud. This situation also revealed internal communications involving Carlson and other Fox executives expressing skepticism about Trump’s claims and his presidency.
After leaving Fox News, Carlson launched an online version of his popular show on X, a platform previously known as Twitter. Fox, still holding a contract with Carlson, issued a cease-and-desist letter over his new online show, citing potential violations of his contractual obligations.