DeSantis attacks Trump for not taking part in debate 

SIMI VALLEY, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 27: Republican presidential candidates (L-R), former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Vivek Ramaswamy are introduced during the FOX Business Republican Primary Debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library on September 27, 2023 in Simi Valley, California. Seven presidential hopefuls squared off in the second Republican primary debate as former U.S. President Donald Trump, currently facing indictments in four locations, declined again to participate. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis slammed former President Trump for not taking part in Wednesday night’s second GOP presidential primary debate.

“Where’s Joe Biden? He’s completely missing in action from leadership. And you know who else is missing in action? Donald Trump is missing in action. He should be on this stage tonight,” DeSantis said, jabbing at both the current and former presidents. 

“He owes it to you to defend his record where they added $7.8 trillion to the debt, that set the stage for the inflation that we have now,” DeSantis added of Trump.

Trump, the frontrunner of the GOP presidential field, skipped the GOP’s first presidential debate in Milwaukee in August and passed on the second event held at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Southern California. He’s cited his lead in the polls as a reason for not getting on the stage with his fellow White House hopefuls.

Seven qualified candidates — seen by many as competitors in a race for second place — took the stage on Wednesday night: DeSantis, conservative entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, former Vice President Mike Pence, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum.

The former president’s name didn’t come up until about 15 minutes into the two-hour event.

Christie also knocked the former president for his absence from the Simi Valley, Calif., stage.  

“Donald Trump — he hides behind the walls of his golf clubs and won’t show up here to answer questions like all the rest of us are up here to answer,” Christie said.  

Tags 2024 presidential election Chris Christie DeSantis DeSantis Donald Trump GOP debate GOP debate Joe Biden Ron DeSantis Ron DeSantis

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