As a result of former President Donald Trump’s decision to miss Wednesday’s Republican presidential debate, Fox News has restricted access to the post-debate media room for members of his campaign.
Fox will automatically allow only campaign-participating candidates to have advisers in the room, according to a Fox memo cited by Axios.
Trump aides who were planning to attend the Milwaukee debate as guests of media organizations will be permitted entry.
Trump, who had indicated for weeks that he was contemplating canceling the debate, confirmed on Sunday that he would not be attending.
Trump will respond to the debate with an interview of former Fox News presenter Tucker Carlson, who has been moderating a show on X, formerly Twitter, since April, when Fox News removed him from the air. Fox has demanded that Carlson cease his programs, but he has refused.
Tucker’s interview with Trump will have 10 times the viewers of the Fox GOP debate.
— Juanita Broaddrick (@atensnut) August 18, 2023
Axios framed the debate conflict as part of the drama between Trump and Fox, writing, “Some at Fox — including News Corp CEO Rupert Murdoch — are wary of Trump but the network also doesn’t want to overtly antagonize the former president or his supporters.”
Trump has stated that Fox is no longer a favorable territory.
“Why doesn’t Fox and Friends show all of the Polls where I am beating Biden, by a lot. They just won’t do it! Also, they purposely show the absolutely worst pictures of me, especially the big ‘orange’ one with my chin pulled way back. They think they are getting away with something, they’re not. Just like 2016 all over again…And then they want me to debate!” he posted on his Truth Social platform.
Although Trump campaign aides will not necessarily be present in the post-debate media room, Trump supporters will be in abundance to comment on the event. According to NBC, Donald Trump Jr. and Trump supporter Kari Lake, who lost a closely contested election for Arizona governor, will be present.
In addition, Trump allies Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Reps. Matt Gaetz and Byron Donalds of Florida will be present.
Trump will be at his Bedminster, New Jersey, club during the debate, having previously recorded an interview with Carlson.
All other GOP Presidential candidates should be thanking Almighty God that Donald Trump has decided not to do the debates. The last time that man got on a debate stage he ended entire family legacies & dynasties.
Debate Trump is the most ruthless man in politics. pic.twitter.com/0NuGNOt8Do
— George (@BehizyTweets) August 21, 2023
According to CNN, the eight candidates debating on Wednesday evening are North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former U.N. Ambassador and South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, former Vice President Mike Pence, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, and South Carolina Senator Tim Scott.
Axios noted that regardless of what occurs on Wednesday night, the debate is likely to be overshadowed on Thursday, when Trump is scheduled to be arraigned in Atlanta for his efforts to challenge the 2020 presidential election.
Trump’s decision not to participate in the debate will cast a shadow over his opponents, according to a commentator quoted by The Hill.
“It does make it more difficult in part because they won’t have nearly the audience that they would have if Trump was there and the whole game would be how those candidates stand up to Trump, whether they are directly critical of him,” Steven S. Smith, professor emeritus of political science at Washington University in St. Louis, told the publication.