Former president Donald Trump sat out the first two Republican primary debates and plans on skipping the upcoming third debate as well.
Similar to the first two debates, Trump could look to interrupt the Republican debate coverage with an event of his own.
What Happened: Trump's large lead in election polls and low viewership for the first two Republican primary debates have led to Trump’s campaign calling for future debates to be cancelled.
Still, a third Republican debate has been planned, whether Trump likes it or not.
NBC News secured the rights to the third debate, with Rumble Inc livestreaming the event. Fox Corporation previously had the rights to the first two Republican primary debates.
NBC News recently reported that Trump is considering a counterprogramming event on Nov. 8, the same day of the debate in Florida.
Sources told NBC News that plans have not been finalized due to Trump’s schedule. Trump is reportedly considering a campaign rally at a venue just down the road from the debate.
“We will do something for sure, but not sure set on what or where as of yet,” the source told NBC News.
The Trump campaign did not respond to a request for comment by NBC News.
The latest report likely won't come as a huge surprise to many, as Trump hosted similar events during the last two debates. A pre-recorded interview between Trump and Tucker Carlson was released on Twitter, now known as X, shortly before the first GOP debate began. Trump also hosted a campaign event in Michigan related to the UAW strike during the second Republican primary debate.
Related Link: Do Republicans Care About The Debates Without Trump?
Why It’s Important: Trump held a 45-point lead over the Republican competition in the latest Morning Consult poll and has held a 40+ point lead for months.
The second Republican debate was watched by 9.3 million people, a drop of around 27% from the first Republican debate. It was the lowest television viewership for a Republican presidential debate since Trump became a presidential candidate.
The first Republican presidential debate had eight candidates on stage and the second debate had seven. The candidates at the third debate have not been named, but the stage could shrink even further.
Read Next: Trump Leads Biden In Swing States, Voters Not Fans Of Bidenomics
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