Trump says he doesn’t plan to do primary debates, period; remains leader in Iowa poll

Former President Donald Trump is signaling he might not do any primary election debates — plural — after he skips the first debate on Wednesday in Milwaukee.

Mr. Trump, writing on Truth Social, pointed to his “legendary” poll numbers, including a nearly 50-point lead over Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, the Republican considered his most significant threat in the 2024 presidential primary.

“The public knows who I am & what a successful Presidency I had, with Energy Independence, Strong Borders & Military, Biggest EVER Tax & Regulation Cuts, No Inflation, Strongest Economy in History, & much more,” Mr. Trump wrote late Sunday. “I WILL THEREFORE NOT BE DOING THE DEBATES!”

For weeks, Mr. Trump signaled he did not want to do the first debate. He says he would face bias from moderators and unnecessarily risk his front-runner status.

An NBC News/Des Moines Register/Mediacom poll conducted Aug. 13-17 found Mr. Trump has a 20-point lead over Mr. DeSantis, his closest rival.