Trump says no to GOP primary debates after campaign not consulted

In a Tuesday Truth Social post, former president and 2024 presidential candidate Donald Trump said that he and his campaign were not consulted over the selection of Republican primary debates prior to their announcement.

"I see that everybody is talking about the Republican Debates, but nobody got my approval, or the approval of the Trump Campaign, before announcing them," Trump wrote.

"When you’re leading by seemingly insurmountable numbers, and you have hostile Networks with angry, TRUMP & MAGA hating anchors asking the 'questions,' why subject yourself to being libeled and abused? Also, the Second Debate is being held at the Reagan Library, the Chairman of which is, amazingly, Fred Ryan, Publisher of The Washington Post. NO!" he added.

According to The Hill, the first Republican primary debate will take place in Milwaukee in August. The date for the second debate, held at the Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, has not been set yet.

RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel has suggested that there would be criteria for participation in the RNC’s debates, including a minimum fundraising threshold, and that candidates would be required to pledge their support to the eventual GOP nominee, according to Bloomberg.

In a February 26 interview, McDaniel was asked if Trump would skip the debates if forced to sign such a document, with the chairwoman saying, "I think President Trump would like to be on the debate stage. That’s what he likes to do. And I expect they’ll all be there."

The RNC has also prohibited its presidential nominees from participating in Commission on Presidential Debates-sponsored debates, after Trump said in 2020 that the moderators used by the nonpartisan commission were unfair to him.