UPDATE: After Donald Trump and John Kasich announced that they would not attend, Fox News canceled the debate.
Following Donald Trump’s announcement that he will not attend the Fox News Debate on March 21, Ohio Gov. John Kasich’s chief strategist said that the governor will also not attend the event.
John Weaver said, “Trump’s decision to scuttle the Salt Lake City debate is disappointing, but not surprising. His values are out of step with the people of Utah. We had hoped to contrast Governor Kasich’s positive inclusive approach to problem solving with Trump’s campaign of division.” (Trump Will Not Be At Next Fox News Debate [VIDEO])
Adding, “If [Trump] changes his mind, we will be there.”
Kasich is “running an aggressive campaign in Utah with events across the state and television advertising beginning today.”
Statement from Kasich chief strategist @JWGOP. Basically Kasich won’t debate if Trump doesn’t. pic.twitter.com/KUwslPa98O
— Henry J. Gomez (@HenryJGomez) March 16, 2016
In light of both Trump and Kasich announcing that they will not attend the debate, FOX News Channel’s Michael Clemente released the following statement:
“On Feb. 20, the Republican National Committee announced that a GOP presidential primary debate would be held on March 21 in Salt Lake City. They offered that debate to Fox News Channel to host, provided there were enough candidates actively campaigning. This morning, Donald Trump announced he would not be participating in the debate. Shortly afterward, John Kasich’s campaign announced that without Trump at the debate, Kasich would not participate. Ted Cruz has expressed a willingness to debate Trump or Kasich — or both. But obviously, there needs to be more than one participant. So the Salt Lake City debate is cancelled.”