Fox News has been begging Trump to show up to the Republican primary debate, which the news organization is hosting.
“Former President Trump had dinner Tuesday with top executives at Fox News who asked him to consider attending the first Republican primary debate later this month, according to a new report,” The Hill reported last week.
The dinner, which The New York Times reported took place at Trump’s Bedminster, N.J., Golf Club, was with Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott and network President Jay Wallace. Prime-time anchor Sean Hannity was also reportedly supposed to attend the dinner but was busy hosting his 9 p.m. show.
Scott and Wallace reportedly made an overture to Trump telling him attending the event, which Fox will broadcast Aug. 23 from Milwaukee, could present an opportunity for the former president to show his debate skills. The Times story noted people close to Trump have separately warned the former president in recent weeks that not showing up to the first debate could allow another candidate to perform well.
Trump hasn’t yet pledged to participate in the first debate, citing his commanding lead over the other GOP primary contenders and his alleged “hostile” relationship with Fox.
Trump declared on Wednesday of this week that he would not sign a vow of allegiance to the RNC in favor of the eventual Republican winner.
All candidates must sign the pledge to be eligible to participate in the initial primary debate, which will be televised on Fox News on August 23.
The leading Republican candidate for president, Donald Trump, has already suggested he could skip the Milwaukee, Wisconsin, debate, and his statements to Newsmax on Wednesday are the clearest indication yet that he likely won’t go.
“I wouldn’t sign the pledge. Why would I sign a pledge if there are people on there that I wouldn’t have?” Eric Bolling of Newsmax was told by Trump.
“I can name three or four people that I wouldn’t support for president. So right there, there’s a problem,” he remarked.
Asa Hutchinson, a former governor of Arkansas, and Chris Christie, a former governor of New Jersey, both ardent Trump detractors, will “ask me nasty questions” at the debate, according to Trump.
Sen. Tim Scott (R–S.C.) and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, he claimed, were both “very nice… very capable” and “very good people, but why would you do that when you’re leading by so much?”
Trump stated that he will make a decision regarding the first debate’s attendance next week.
He continued, “I haven’t totally ruled it out.”
In recent months, the former president has targeted Fox via his website Truth Social.
Bret Baier, Fox’s top political anchor, will moderate the first debate with Martha MacCallum, and Trump has particularly criticized the idea of fielding questions in a debate environment.
But in June, Baier conducted a lengthy interview with Trump. He referred to Baier as “nasty” after the interview and charged that the reporter had not shown him adequate support.
The New York Times cites sources who described the dinner between Trump and the Fox officials on Tuesday as “cordial.”
The meeting took place mere hours after Trump was charged on four counts in federal court in relation to his attempts to challenge the outcome of the 2020 election, which Democrats allege led to the violence at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.
On Thursday morning, Trump posted about Fox News again and about another Republican candidate for president who dropped out.
“Will Hurd, a former Republican Congressman who couldn’t get elected “dog catcher,” so he dropped out of the Race, is constantly on Fox spewing nonsense, despite the fact he is at ZERO in the Polls, and with no money or future. No wonder Fox’s Ratings are going down the tubes!” Trump posted on Truth Social.
Just prior to that, Trump posted about the election and Democrat efforts to stop him.
“Look, it’s not my fault that my political opponent in the Democrat Party, Crooked Joe Biden, has told his Attorney General to charge the leading (by far!) Republican Nominee & former President of the United States, me, with as many crimes as can be concocted so that he is forced to spend large amounts of time & money to defend himself. The Dems don’t want to run against me or they would not be doing this unprecedented weaponization of “Justice.” BUT SOON, IN 2024, IT WILL BE OUR TURN. MAGA!”
On Wednesday, Trump railed against the politically motivated charges brought against him.
“The latest Fake “case” brought by Crooked Joe Biden & Deranged Jack Smith will hopefully be moved to an impartial Venue, such as the politically unbiased nearby State of West Virginia! IMPOSSIBLE to get a fair trial in Washington, D.C., which is over 95% anti-Trump, & for which I have called for a Federal TAKEOVER in order to bring our Capital back to Greatness. It is now a high crime embarrassment to our Nation and, indeed, the World. This Indictment is all about Election Interference!!!” he posted on TS.
Source: Axios
