On Tuesday, Fox News announced that it plans to host an open interview with former President Donald Trump in Des Moines, Iowa, which will be broadcast at the same time as a CNN-hosted Republican primary debate. This interview is the latest example of the former president and the frontrunner for the Republican Party nomination in 2024 ignoring debates and instead participating in counter-programming.
The Fox News town hall event will take place on January 10 and will be moderated by Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum from Fox News. Trump has not participated in any previous Republican primary debates.
The CNN debate, also scheduled for January 10, will air simultaneously with Trump’s interview and will be hosted by network anchors Jake Tapper and Dana Bash. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley are likely to be the only Republican presidential candidates who will take the stage just days before the Iowa caucuses on January 15.
The network stated on Tuesday that Haley, DeSantis, and Trump are the only Republican candidates who have surpassed the polling threshold to qualify for the CNN debate. Businessman and Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, who did not qualify, issued a statement on Tuesday criticizing the CNN debate, stating that he would instead participate in the town hall with conservative media personality Tim Pool.
Haley called on Trump to participate in the debate, highlighting the dwindling number of participants. She wrote on X: "With only three candidates qualifying for the CNN debate, it’s time for Donald Trump to show up. As the debate stage continues to shrink, it’s getting harder for Donald Trump to hide."
