President Trump: Afraid To Debate DeSantis?

President Trump recently announced that he will not be attending the first GOP forum of the 2024 election hosted by Tucker Carlson.

DeSantis supporters are taking this as a sign that the former President is ‘afraid’ of debating DeSantis. …

I believe that the 45th President of the United States simply doesn’t want to waste his time. Former President Donald J. Trump has a secure 20-point lead over DeSantis in the governor’s home state of Florida. …

DeSantis represents President Trump’s biggest opponent and he is trailing behind by double-digit numbers—in his own state! The other ‘contenders’ don’t even stand a chance.

From this perspective, a debate simply represents a waste of time, and time is money. What does President Trump have to gain by joining the debates when he is already the clear favorite?

Comedian and conservative influencer Tim Young writes: “Unless Tucker Carlson will be actively debating the presidential candidates, that forum won’t be worth watching. You can read all their policy stances online in a couple of minutes and save your time. Love him or hate him, everyone knows Trump is what makes debates fun.”

Unless Tucker Carlson will be actively debating the presidential candidates, that forum won't be worth watching.

You can read all their policy stances online in a couple of minutes and save your time.

Love him or hate him, everyone knows Trump is what makes debates fun.

— Tim Young (@TimRunsHisMouth) July 11, 2023

One DeSantis supporter shared his take on President Trump declining to attend the forum:

“Donald Trump not showing up to debate Ron DeSantis with Tucker Carlson as the host for Blaze TV does nothing to get rid of the narrative that Trump is afraid to debate DeSantis. It solidifies it.

DeSantis not showing up to speak at the TPUSA event is a good move because it is a cultist convention of Trump grifters who really are only there to throw him a pity-fest knowing he has no path to 270.

The one I would exclude from that would be Tucker Carlson as I recently read he wasn’t taking sides and has been critical of Trump in the past. I know he is plenty capable of being fair. I read that wrong a few days back about him taking sides and admit it.

Trust me, I’m happy to be wrong on that because I love Tucker. But as for the rest, they only seek to play victim and cry for 4 more years about a stolen election as we pay the price and officially enter into “1984”.

They know better this time and it will be completely their fault as well as ours if we let them hijack the primary. We will lose our country for good. If we don’t want to fulfill George Orwell’s prophecy, then DeSantis is the way to go.”

https://twitter.com/ShorbaNation/status/1678842809804111875

He's beating him by 20 pts in FLORIDA there is zero need for Trump to debate losing Ron.

— Trisha Hope #JustTheTweets (@JustTheTweets17) July 12, 2023

According to Daily Caller:

The Daily Caller co-founder will sit down for one-on-one interviews with six presidential candidates in a forum hosted by Blaze Media and The Family Leader, a social conservative organization in Iowa.

However, Trump has chosen not to be one of those candidates, The FAMiLY Leader CEO Bob Vander Plaats tweeted Tuesday morning.

Tucker Carlson recently had this to say about President Trump during a sit-down with acclaimed actor, comedian, and podcast host Russell Brand:

Tucker Carlson's prediction on Stay Free with @rustyrockets that Donald Trump will be viewed as the most significant figure in US politics in a century sparks intense debate. The claim showcases the deep divisions and differing perspectives on Trump's legacy. #TrumpLegacy pic.twitter.com/yESpBEz4hQ

— Ava Martin (@avamartin_ava) July 11, 2023

Daily Mail added:

It is also still unclear whether Trump will participate in the first Republican National Committee (RNC) primary debate in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on August 23.

The RNC set out guidelines that to get on stage, candidates must sign a pledge to support the eventual nominee.