On Wednesday, former President Donald Trump shared a post on his Truth Social platform, stating, “Tune in to my conversation with Tucker Carlson tonight at 9 p.m. It’s going to be electrifying. Don’t miss out.”
Interestingly, this is the same time slot as the inaugural Republican primary debate for the presidential nomination, set to take place in Milwaukee. The event, which will be broadcasted nationwide on Fox News, features eight distinct candidates.
Earlier in the week, Trump revealed his decision to skip the debate. As reported by The Hill, Trump justified his absence by pointing to his significant lead in the GOP race, boasting a 40-point advantage in several national surveys. Instead of the debate, he chose to participate in a previously recorded interview.
The interview is scheduled to air on X, the platform previously known as Twitter.
It’s worth noting that Trump’s relationship with Fox News has been tense lately. This is quite different from past years when he frequently opted for the network as his go-to for interviews. Similarly, Carlson’s rapport with Fox has seen better days. In fact, CNN disclosed that Carlson, once a prime-time anchor, parted ways with Fox News in April.
Following Trump’s decision to abstain from the debate, Fox News communicated to his team that several of his representatives would not be granted access to the debate’s spin room, an area under the network’s jurisdiction.
On the other hand, when it comes to access to the main debate, the Republican National Committee is in charge of the credentials. Insiders have suggested that these passes will likely remain valid.
