Former President Donald Trump indicated Friday that he might be willing to take the stage at a future Republican primary debate once only one challenger remains between him and the party’s 2024 nomination.
Trump, 77, refused to participate in any of the four forums sanctioned by the Republican National Committee, citing his dominance in the polls, but the GOP front-runner told radio talk show host Hugh Hewitt that it could change if his lead diminishes as the primary field shrinks.
“Yes, I would, if it’s very close. I would debate that Republican,” Trump told Hewitt when asked if he would join the last Republican in the race after the Jan. 23 New Hampshire primary.
“But it’s not even close,” the former president was quick to add.
There are currently no Republican debates scheduled for after the nation’s first primaries.
Trump joked that he could participate in a future GOP primary debate if his lead begins to narrow. AP
The RNC announced earlier this month that it would not hold any primary debates in January, but would allow candidates to participate in unauthorized debates hosted by media outlets.
Nevada, which will hold a primary election on February 6 and a caucus on February 8, and South Carolina, which will hold its primary on February 24, are the next nominating contests on the calendar after New Hampshire.
Trump also promised to debate President Biden if both are nominated as his party’s standard bearers, despite his concern that the organization tasked with running general election debates is biased in favor of Democrats.
Trump said he “looks forward” to debating Biden in 2024. AP
“Oh, I’m looking forward to that,” Trump said of the prospect of going head-to-head with the 81-year-old incumbent. “How about 10 debates?”
“They are totally corrupt. They are totally Democratic-leaning… and they are terrible,” Trump said of the Commission on Presidential Debates, accusing the group of “turning off” his microphone during one of his 2020 debates with Biden.
“That said, I would do 20 debates even if they were organized by them,” he added. “I will do as many debates as you want. I would do a debate every night with this guy. But he will never appear in a debate.”
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Source: vtt.edu.vn