(Dmytro “Henry” Aleksandrov, Headline USA) Donald Trump’s spokesman has confirmed that the leading Republican presidential candidate doesn’t have any plans to attend any future Republican presidential debates after skipping the first two events.
After the Sept. 27, 2023 GOP presidential debate, Chris LaCivita, a senior adviser to Trump’s 2024 campaign, confirmed his decision, according to the Epoch Times.
“He said he’s not going to attend the debates, plural. And that’s his position—until it’s not,” LaCivita said, adding that the debates became a contest for “who’s going to be the designated survivor.”
Among those who participated in the last presidential debate were Gov. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, R-Ohio, former Gov. Nikki Haley, R-S.C., former Vice President Mike Pence, R-Ind., Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., former Gov. Chris Christie, R-N.J. and Gov. Doug Burgum, R-N.D.
Former Gov. Asa Hutchinson, R-Ark., did not appear at the debate because he failed to meet the qualifications.
Trump made a decision to not attend the second debate that took place at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, Calif., because he is currently leading in national polls, instead choosing to give a speech to blue-collar workers in a northern suburb of Detroit, including current and former members of the United Auto Workers [UAW] union.
As expected, Republican candidates who attended the debate criticized Trump for not attending the debate. Among the critics were DeSantis, who accused him of being “missing in action,” and Christie who branded Trump “Donald Duck.”
However, LaCivita said that the current attacks are pointless since Trump’s decision to not attend the debate would do little to sway Americans’ votes.
“I don’t know of one candidate that was on that stage tonight that pushed a thematic or a message that should convince Republican primary voters why they should abandon Donald Trump,” LaCivita said.
The third Republican presidential debate will take place in Miami on Nov. 8, 2023.
