Former President Donald Trump will not participate in next week’s Republican debate in Milwaukee, according to the New York Times.
Reporters Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan published a story Friday morning alleging that, “according to two of the people briefed on the matter,” Trump instead plans to do an interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, who now posts his show to X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
Trump, who faces numerous criminal charges at the federal and state levels, has been rumored to partner with Carlson for weeks now, as he has long been reticent to participate with his rivals for the GOP nomination.
On his social media platform Truth Social, the former president said his “extraordinary” poll numbers show him to be in the lead “by more than 50 points” and “People know my Record, one of the BEST EVER, so why would I Debate?”
“I’M YOUR MAN,” he added.
Trump’s critics have instead alleged that he is scared.
“What a coward!” tweeted former U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, who served on the Jan. 6 committee investigating the insurrection at the Capitol.