Trump confirms he will skip the first GOP debate — and maybe future ones, as well

Donald Trump confirmed Sunday that he will skip the first Republican presidential primary debate Wednesday — and indicated he may not attend future ones, either.

The former president wrote on his Truth Social media platform that polling shows him leading in the Republican primary field by such a wide margin that he doesn't need to stand alongside his rivals on the debate stage.

“The public knows who I am & what a successful Presidency I had,” Trump wrote. “I WILL THEREFORE NOT BE DOING THE DEBATES!”

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A source familiar with Trump’s thinking said the decision applies to only the first two debates, which are affiliated with Fox News and Fox Business. The source declined to rule out the possibility that Trump may change his mind.

Co-moderators Martha MacCallum and Bret Baier of Fox News will host the first Republican presidential primary debate Wednesday in Wisconsin. Fox Business will host the second debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute in Simi Valley, California, in late September. 

For Subscribers

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAmerican passenger drafted goodbye texts to her family as Flydubai plane plummeted

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCornell rape allegation pushes embattled New York prosecutor into national spotlight

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAbdul El-Sayed tries to woo MAHA voters as Democrats seek inroads with RFK’s supporters

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKratom-like substances are popping up in a typically benign supplement

FOR SUBSCRIBERSGOP super PAC increases its spending for Sen. Jon Husted in tough Ohio race

FOR SUBSCRIBERSRecords reveal tumultuous marriage between slain New York Times executive and wife

FOR SUBSCRIBERSFrom clean energy warrior to ‘wall of shame,’ James Talarico reverses on a fossil fuel money pledge

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCongressional staff planned official trip with luxury stops in Italy and France weeks before election

FOR SUBSCRIBERSA harrowing ordeal aboard an Israel-bound plane

FOR SUBSCRIBERSOpenAI CEO Sam Altman to skip congressional hearing on rogue AI agents

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKey DOJ lawyers departed Trump ‘grand conspiracy’ probe amid pressure to produce, source says

FOR SUBSCRIBERSTrump’s new AI chatbot often links to a site launched under Clinton 26 years ago

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAt MAHA summit, industry CEOs the movement once vilified take the stage

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThis Paralympian has two goals: Win medals and give away $500,000 to her teammates

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCornell rape allegation spotlights stringent New York state laws that have long drawn criticism

NBC News previously reported that Trump had made up his mind to forgo the first debate with his 2024 Republican rivals and was instead looking to schedule a sit-down interview during that time with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson.

Nine candidates — including Trump — have qualified for Wednesday's debate stage, according to an NBC News analysis of the Republican National Committee's requirements to get onto the stage.