With a sturdy double-digit lead within the polls, Donald Trump continues to drift the concept he may boycott the primary Republican presidential debate, scheduled to air subsequent month on Fox Information. “I haven’t actually made up my thoughts,” Trump informed Fox on July 16. “When you could have an enormous lead, you don’t do it.”
The query, after all, is how a ratings-obsessed Trump would counterprogram a prime-time Fox debate that’s certain to attract a big cable information viewers and have such 2024 challengers as Ron DeSantis. One concept Trump is mulling is to sit down for an interview with Tucker Carlson on his Twitter present similtaneously the controversy, two sources briefed on the discussions mentioned. Based on one supply, Trump just lately reached out to Carlson and requested if Carlson would do the interview, however no choices have been made.
The Trump marketing campaign didn’t reply to requests for remark. Carlson declined to remark.
A Trump-Tucker Twitter present—say that 3 times quick!—may gain advantage each Trump and Carlson. For Trump, who’s staring down a possible second federal indictment—courtesy of particular counsel Jack Smith’s January 6 probe—Carlson would doubtless be a a lot friendlier interviewer than Fox’s chosen debate moderators, Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum. Final month Trump and Baier tangled over the host’s robust questions on Trump’s alleged mishandling of labeled paperwork. Afterward, Trump fumed to Newsmax about Baier’s confrontational tone: “I believed it was okay, however there was nothing pleasant about it. You already know, it was nasty.”
For Carlson, touchdown a Trump interview on the night time of a Fox debate would reveal his rising conservative media energy as he reportedly plans to launch his personal streaming-based firm. Based on the supply, traders have already informed the ex-Fox anchor that they might contribute $100 million to his enterprise. Carlson and his enterprise accomplice, Day by day Caller cofounder Neil Patel, are presently reviewing emblems to search out an accessible identify for the corporate, the supply mentioned. Carlson has joked to buddies that he ought to identify the corporate “Go Fuck Your self Media.”
A possible Trump-Carlson present would even be a check for Fox Information. Final month the community despatched Carlson a stop and desist letter warning that his Twitter present was a violation of his Fox contract. However in keeping with the supply near Carlson, Fox’s legal professionals have had no additional communication with Carlson. “Fox remains to be paying him! They thought they may management him by maintaining him underneath contract,” a Carlson ally mentioned.
Fox Information didn’t reply to a request for remark.
By successfully ignoring Fox’s demand to sit down on the sidelines till his contract expires on the finish of 2024, Carlson is as soon as once more flexing the independence that rankled the Murdochs. Based on a supply, Rupert Murdoch just lately informed a pal that he fired Carlson as a result of “Tucker obtained too huge for his boots!”
A Murdoch spokesperson declined to remark.
