Former Fox News commentator Tucker Carlson will be hosting a presidential primary forum featuring leading candidates vying for the Republican nomination in Iowa on Friday, July 14.
The forum in Des Moines, Iowa is part of the Family Leadership Summit, a gathering that describes itself as “the Midwest’s largest gathering of Christians seeking cultural transformation in the family, church, government and more.”
The candidates confirmed to participate in the forum and be interviewed by Carlson include Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson.
As of Tuesday morning, the organizer’s website lists Trump, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and Biden as “invited guests.” However, no confirmation of their participation or attendance.
Source: Family Leadership Summit
Bob Vander Plaats, President and CEO of The FAMiLY Leader, confirmed on Twitter that former President Trump won’t be participating in the upcoming summit.
In a Twitter post on Tuesday, Plaats announced, “I learned last night that Donald Trump will NOT attend our Leadership Summit this Friday. Thus, our lineup is set: Tim Scott, Asa Hutchinson, Mike Pence, Nikki Haley, VivekGRamaswamy and Ron DeSantis will have visionary, one on one, discussion with Tucker Carlson.”
Investigative journalist Laura Loomer fired back at Plaats’ tweet, questioning Trump’s motive to participate in a forum she perceived as biased against him and favoring DeSantis.
“Why would Donald Trump attend your stupid ass forum when you’re anti-Trump and pro-DeSantis? Why should he subject himself to your bias and lies?”
Loomer presented evidence from Plaats’ old Twitter posts to expose him as a DeSantis supporter.
It is still unclear the reason for Trump’s refusal to attend the event, but earlier this year, Trump said he didn’t see the logic in sharing a debate stage given his significant lead in polls and the perceived bias of network anchors against him and the MAGA movement. He questioned the necessity of subjecting himself to potential misrepresentation and criticism in debates.
“When you’re leading by seemingly insurmountable numbers, and you have the hostile Networks with angry TRUMP & MAGA hating anchors asking the ‘questions,’ why subject yourself to being libeled and abused?” Trump wrote.
“I’m leading by 40 points. A lot of people say, ‘Why would you do a debate when you have people at two and three and fifteen and fourteen [percent]?’” Trump told John Catsimatidis, host of the “Cats & Cosby Show” on WABC 770.
“People don’t debate when they have these massive leads. They say, ‘Why would we debate?’ I would have a hostile group of anchors — a hostile network — asking questions. Why would I do that?” the former president said per New York Post.
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