Trump Is Going To Send Matt Gaetz And Kari Lake To The GOP Debate In His Place

Trump is currently planning not to attend the first Republican primary debate on Fox News, but will instead send surrogates like Matt Gaetz and Kari Lake.

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CNN reported:

We are hearing that Donald Trump is most likely not going to be on the debate stage next week. I did hedge in my story, and I’ll hedge here, as well, that this is Donald Trump we’re talking about. I have covered him for many years. His campaign has told me, listen, he could always change his mind at the last minute. As of now, he is not planning to attend. I think we’ll probably hear him say something of the sort soon. But he is talking about counter-programming. He’s been personally throwing out ideas of potential other interviews he can be giving, including a potential interview with Tucker Carlson.

He’s also talking about potentially calling into other shows during the debate. Now of course I have to note Donald Trump is openly feuding with Fox News right now. He is — criticizing Rupert Murdoch, and we know that Tucker Carlson also has left Fox News. So there could be some motivations there behind the scenes. But some interesting things I’ve picked up, Phil, is that, one, Donald Trump, his team is trying to set up some surrogates to be there in his place, people like Congressmen Byron Donalds and Matt Gaetz of Florida, as well as Kari Lake former gubernatorial candidate of Arizona, and as well as members of Donald Trump’s team. They want them in the spin room to defend Donald Trump even if he is not there.

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Trump isn’t going to show up on MSNBC as counter-programming to the Republican debate. It is possible that he would give interviews to CNN and Newsmax, but neither of those events would likely make a dent in Fox’s debate ratings. Trump isn’t getting coverage for his rallies, so he can’t draw eyeballs away from Fox with a rally, and an interview with Tucker Carlson would have to be online, since Carlson is barred by his Fox News contract from appearing on TV. It is going to be tough for Trump to take viewers away from the Republican debate.

The idea that Matt Gaetz and Kari Lake are going to be Trump’s surrogates at the debate is hilarious.

If Trump was trying to sabotage the debate, there will be nothing like having Gaetz and Lake in the debate spin room creating chaos everywhere. Between the conspiracy theories and the lies, it could be a bonkers environment.

A question that is not being asked is why is Trump afraid to debate.

The media should not take Trump at his word that he is mad at Fox News.

It is more likely that Trump doesn’t want to be criticized or asked about his indictments.

Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and  Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association