The Facts
On Sunday, former US Pres. Donald Trump confirmed that he won't participate in the upcoming Republican debates about the party's 2024 presidential nomination.
Posting on the social media platform Truth Social, Trump argued that "the public knows who I am & what a successful Presidency I had," also pointing to what he described as his current "legendary" polling statistics.
The Spin
Pro-Trump narrative
There's little that Trump needs to do to cement his position within an extremely uncompetitive race for the Republican nomination. Wednesday's debate shouldn't be about those with paltry poll numbers dominating the conversation. Trump's polls continue to skyrocket and there are better forums for communicating his agenda to the American people.
Anti-Trump narrative
While the importance of the Milwaukee debate is damaged by Trump's lack of appearance, the stage will be an opportunity to separate those who are willing to attack Trump for his lack of fitness to serve office and those who choose not to. While Trump's shadow is destined to loom over the debate, candidates must take a stand against the threat he poses to American democracy.
