Former President Donald Trump is planning to sit for an interview with Daily Caller co-founder Tucker Carlson instead of appearing in the GOP primary debate Aug. 23, The New York Times reported Friday.
Trump has long teased whether he would attend the first debate, testing out the proposal with his supporters at campaign rallies, The NYT reported. Fox executives previously attempted to coax him onto the stage, as the former president reportedly waffled on the topic during private discussions with his advisers.
In July, Trump skipped joining Carlson onstage in Iowa when several other major candidates fielded questions on their campaigns.
Carlson most recently interviewed candidate Vivek Ramaswamy on his new Twitter show. The interview has received over 31.5 million views in under 24 hours. (RELATED: ‘Play Some Political Snakes And Ladders’: Ramaswamy Talks Campaign, America’s Future And Foreign Policy With Tucker)
Ep. 17 Vivek Ramaswamy is the youngest Republican presidential candidate ever. He’s worth listening to. pic.twitter.com/9wGqptHdto
— Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) August 17, 2023
Carlson departed Fox News in April after the network settled for over $787 million in a lawsuit with Dominion. Trump came out in support of Carlson at the time of his firing.
Trump’s decision to sit down with Carlson is a major affront to Fox News’ coverage of the Republican primary race, The NYT reported. Further speculation also implies the former president may skip the second primary debate held later in the year, according to the outlet.