Trump isn’t playing anymore games.
Former President Donald Trump has announced via his Truth Social platform that his interview with Tucker Carlson is scheduled to broadcast at 9 p.m. He teased that the conversation would be intense. Interestingly, this timing coincides with the commencement of the first Republican primary debate in Milwaukee. The debate, which features eight alternative candidates, will be televised nationwide on Fox News.
In transcript provided by Newsmax, Trump wrote, “my interview with Tucker Carlson will be aired tonight at 9 p.m. Sparks will fly. Enjoy.“
Trump’s decision not to participate in the debate, which he justified by citing his substantial lead in the GOP field — where he maintains a significant 40-point margin in national polls — was communicated earlier this week. Instead of the debate, he opted to engage in the interview as reported by The Hill.
The prerecorded interview is set to air on platform X, previously recognized as Twitter. Trump’s relationship with Fox News has encountered discord lately, a departure from his historical preference for the network as his interview venue of choice. Notably, Carlson has also experienced tensions with Fox, leading to his departure from the network in April, as highlighted by CNN.
Following Trump’s decision to skip the debate, Fox News conveyed to his campaign that certain surrogates of the former president would no longer be granted credentials to partake in the debate’s spin room, which falls under Fox’s jurisdiction. Nonetheless, it’s worth noting that the Republican National Committee retains authority over the credentials for the actual debate, and sources suggest these tickets will likely continue to be honored.