Trump campaign calls on RNC to cancel third GOP debate

Former President Trump’s campaign called on the Republican National Committee (RNC) to cancel its third debate scheduled in Miami next month, even amid reporting that Trump is not anticipated to attend the event.

“The Republican National Committee should immediately cancel the upcoming debate in Miami and end all future debates in order to refocus its manpower and money on preventing Democrats’ efforts to steal the 2024 election,” Trump campaign senior advisers Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita said in a statement, without offering any basis that Democrats were acting improperly in the 2024 election.

“Anything less, along with other reasons not to cancel, are an admission to the grassroots that their concerns about voter integrity are not taken seriously and national Republicans are more concerned about helping Joe Biden than ensuring a safe and secure election,” they added.

LaCivita had already confirmed to NBC News that Trump would not be attending the third GOP debate and had previously urged the RNC to cancel any future GOP presidential debates.

The RNC is holding its third debate in Miami on Nov. 8.

“The RNC should immediately put an end to any further primary debates so we can train our fire on Crooked Joe Biden and quit wasting time and money that could be going to evicting Biden from the White House,” LaCivita said in a statement following the second debate.

Trump has skipped the first two GOP debates, releasing an interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson as counterprogramming for the first GOP debate in Milwaukee, and speaking to supporters in the Detroit area during the second one.

The former president has cited his commanding lead in GOP primary polling as justification for why he’s decided to forgo the debates, frustrating some of his opponents who called him out during the second debate for not sharing the stage with the rest of them. 

The Hill has reached out to the RNC for comment.