Donald Trump confirmed today that he will not participate in the debate of the Republican candidates for the White House on Wednesday in Milwaukee. This despite maintaining an abysmal advantage over the rest in the party’s primaries. Or precisely because of that. He made it clear through his social network, Truth Social. “A new CBS poll has come out with me leading the field with legendary numbers…so I won’t be in the debates,” he wrote.
His intention, according to political analysts, is to turn his back on the Fox network, which will broadcast the event, and in the process try to divert attention from the rest of his political rivals. The former president assumes that if he does not appear in the debate, the space will lose attention and audience, which not only benefits his interests but also helps him in his particular war with the conservative network.
Trump did not sit well with Fox’s positive coverage of his main opponent on the Republican caucus, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, or the scandal over lies about voter fraud that cost the star anchorman his job. chain, Tucker Carlson, after the multi-million dollar agreement with Dominion for 787 million dollars to settle the lawsuit against the entity.
That is why his plan is to broadcast an interview with Carlson precisely on Wednesday, the day of the debate, as a coup de effect. This after Fox executives tried to convince him until the last minute to attend the debate. Last month, both Jay Wallace, president of Fox News, and CEO Suzanne Scott met with the former US president in Bedminster, New Jersey, to get him to change his mind.
Trump feels in a position of strength, once again. The polls show them as a clear favorite against the list of Republican candidates to obtain the nomination in the primaries again, as they already achieved in 2016. The last one carried out by NBC News, The Des Moines Register and Mediacom in the Iowa caucuses, which traditionally the first state in contention, they give him a 23-point advantage over DeSantis, with 42% support from his party’s voters. The third in dispute is Tim Scott, senator from South Carolina, with only 9% support, on a list that includes Nikki Haley, Mike Pence or Chris Christie.
The data is similar to that of another poll by The New York Times and Siena College this month and which places Trump with 44% of the vote in Iowa compared to 20% for DeSantis, also relegated in the donations chapter. The New York tycoon’s machinery seems unstoppable in that regard.
The pending court cases seem to be affecting him little, with a barrage of charges against him after four indictments, the last one still kicking for his alleged electoral fraud committed in Georgia. Both Trump and 18 other members of his team have until noon Friday to report to authorities in Fulton County.
His lawyers are negotiating with the district attorney’s office to lessen the negative effects of his arrest, including the release of his mugshot photo when he is arraigned. On the table is the possibility of calling a press conference on Thursday to counteract the effects of his absence from the debate and focus attention on him.
