BY MAX GREENWOOD

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday criticized former President Donald Trump for suggesting that he may skip the first Republican primary debate in August, accusing him of ignoring a major step in the partyā€™s nominating process and acting as if heā€™s entitled to the GOPā€™s presidential nod.

ā€œNobody is entitled to this nomination. You have got to earn the nomination. And ā€¦ doing things like these debates ā€” theyā€™re important parts of the process,ā€ DeSantis told the conservative radio host Howie Carr in an interview. ā€œIā€™ll be in Milwaukee for the first debate and Iā€™ll be at all of the debates.ā€

Even more problematic, DeSantis said, is that Trump would miss out on the debate after losing to President Joe Biden in 2020, arguing that the former president needs to work to earn back the GOP nomination and not take it for granted.

ā€œThis idea that heā€™s entitled to this, you know, I just totally reject, especially given we had Biden-Trump in 2020 and Bidenā€™s president,ā€ DeSantis said. ā€œThe idea that heā€™s just entitled after that, it just doesnā€™t make any sense.ā€

Trump and his allies have repeatedly dangled the possibility that he wonā€™t participate in the first Republican primary debate, given his outsize lead in most national and state-level polling. The debate is scheduled to take place in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Aug. 23.

Steven Cheung, a spokesperson for Trumpā€™s campaign, snapped back at DeSantisā€™ criticism, saying that the Florida governor ā€œshould focus on his own flailing campaign rife with internal conflict and subversion among his closest supporters, instead of throwing a temper tantrum because he is losing so badly.ā€

ā€œPresident Trump has traveled to Iowa more times than DeSantis has, and holds a commanding lead because voters know he is the only person who can beat Joe Biden and take the White House back,ā€ Cheung said.

Trump has faced at least some pressure to show up at the debate. In addition to DeSantisā€™ remarks on Wednesday, another 2024 GOP presidential candidate, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, suggested that Trump is a ā€œcowardā€ for refusing to commit to the debate.

ā€œDonny, you got so much to say, why donā€™t you say it directly to my face on the debate stage?ā€ Christie tweeted. ā€œOr are you a coward?ā€

Exactly who will be allowed to participate in the debate remains an open question. The Republican National Committee has imposed a list of requirements around fundraising and polling that candidates must meet in order to make the debate stage. Once the candidates meet those requirements, theyā€™ll also have to sign a pledge to support the eventual Republican nominee.

DeSantis ā€” who is polling in a distant second place behind Trump and raised $20 million in the first six weeks of his campaign ā€” is almost certain to meet those requirements. He committed to debating in an interview on Fox News last week, saying that he would be in Milwaukee ā€œregardlessā€ of whether Trump participates or not.

Despite that commitment, Trumpā€™s team has continued to play up the notion that Trump shouldnā€™t ā€“ and likely wonā€™t ā€” participate in the August debate. Jason Miller, a senior adviser to Trumpā€™s campaign, said during an appearance this week on NewsNation that Trump ā€œhas indicated that heā€™s unlikely to participate, at least in the first two debates.ā€

ā€œUltimately, President Trump will make a decision as we get closer,ā€ Miller said. ā€œHe has not said anything definitive, one way or the other. Iā€™m not expecting him to participate, though.ā€

  • books@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    I dislike the dude but he needed to come out swinging against trump. To little too late and very weak