Next Week's GOP Debate Canceled After Trump Boycott
Wednesday, 16 Mar 2016 01:41 PM
The Republican presidential debate scheduled for next week in Utah has been canceled, two local news affiliates in Salt Lake City reported on Wednesday, after party front-runner Donald Trump earlier said he would not attend.
Fox13 and ABC's KUTV cited representatives for the Salt Palace Convention Center where the televised event was to be held. A representative for the center referred calls to Fox, which could not immediately be reached for comment.
Trump said last week and again in an interview on Fox News on Wednesday, Trump said he would not attend the event, scheduled for March 21, as he thought the Republicans had "had enough debates."
Trump said, he thinks that the 11 or 12 debates that have been held already have been enough, and yet another debate isn't going to solve anything.
"I did really well on the last one," Trump told the program. "I think I have done well in all the debates. According to Drudge and everybody else I have won the debates. How many times can the same people ask you the same question? So I was very surprised when I heard that Fox called for a debate. Nobody told me about it. I won't be there, no."
According to The Hill, Trump will address the American Israel Public Affairs Committe on Monday night in Washington D.C., and he has suggested repeadedly he will avoid additional debates as the race for the nomination tightens.
AIPAC announced last Friday that Trump was to be at the conference, while Fox made its debate announcement on Monday. The AIPAC event will also feature speeches from Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and House Speaker Paul Ryan.
And on Wednesday, Trump said he can't back out of the speech to the pro-Israel group.
"I've committed to it," said Trump. "I'll tell you one thing, when I make a commitment, I wouldn't mind, you know, going to the debate. I think we have had enough of them, I'll be honest with you."
Trump said, he thinks that the 11 or 12 debates that have been held already have been enough, and yet another debate isn't going to solve anything.
"I did really well on the last one," Trump told the program. "I think I have done well in all the debates. According to Drudge and everybody else I have won the debates. How many times can the same people ask you the same question? So I was very surprised when I heard that Fox called for a debate. Nobody told me about it. I won't be there, no."
According to The Hill, Trump will address the American Israel Public Affairs Committe on Monday night in Washington D.C., and he has suggested repeadedly he will avoid additional debates as the race for the nomination tightens.
AIPAC announced last Friday that Trump was to be at the conference, while Fox made its debate announcement on Monday. The AIPAC event will also feature speeches from Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and House Speaker Paul Ryan.
And on Wednesday, Trump said he can't back out of the speech to the pro-Israel group.
"I've committed to it," said Trump. "I'll tell you one thing, when I make a commitment, I wouldn't mind, you know, going to the debate. I think we have had enough of them, I'll be honest with you."
Rival John Kasich said following Trump's decision that he would not attend the debate unless the front-runner changed his mind and decided to come.
“If [Trump] changes his mind, we will be there.” one Kasich campaign strategist told Mediaite.com.
“If [Trump] changes his mind, we will be there.” one Kasich campaign strategist told Mediaite.com.
Ted Cruz, the third candidate vying for the Republican nomination for the November presidential election, criticized Trump on Twitter for his decision, calling him #DuckingDonald and urging his supporters to tell him to attend the debate.
Trump previously skipped a Fox News debate in January amid complaints that he had been mistreated by the network. He has long clashed with anchor Megyn Kelly and revived criticism of her on Tuesday, tweeting that she was "crazy" and "unwatchable."
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