Donald Trump to Counter-Program RNC Debate with Tucker Carlson Interview

Former President Donald Trump has decided not to attend the first Republican National Committee debate next week, according to two sources familiar with his thinking. Instead, he is reportedly seeking a sit-down interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson as a means of counter-programming the event.

The New York Times and NBC News both reported on Trump’s plans to skip the debate. When asked about the former president’s plans for next week, a Trump campaign spokesman told NBC News, “We haven’t confirmed anything on our end.”

A source close to Carlson says the host is currently en route to Europe, where he has interviews and events lined up all next week. Trump’s counterprogramming appears likely to draw attention away from the Aug. 23 debate in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, which will be aired by Fox News, the same network that fired Carlson earlier this year.

The debate will also be overshadowed by Trump’s fourth criminal indictment; he must turn himself in to Georgia authorities on racketeering charges by Aug. 25. The source said Carlson is “always in discussions” with all the candidates, but nothing is firmly set with Trump and Carlson.

It remains to be seen how Trump’s decision to skip the debate and seek a sit-down interview with Carlson will affect the RNC’s plans for the event. However, it is clear that the former president is looking to make his presence felt in some way.