Trump says he won't take part in Republican debates

Former U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday said he would skip the upcoming Republican primary debates, citing his large lead in opinion polls as evidence that he was already well-known and liked by voters ahead of the 2024 election.

Trump has for months suggested he would likely pass on Wednesday night's debate in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, arguing that it did not make sense to give his Republican rivals a chance to attack him given his sizeable lead in national polls.

On Sunday, a CBS poll showed he was the preferred candidate for 62% of Republican voters, with his closest rival Florida Governor Ron DeSantis at 16%. All other candidates in the primary race had less than 10% support.

"The public knows who I am & what a successful Presidency I had," Trump said on his social media app, Truth Social. "I will therefore not be doing the debates."

The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to a question asking if the former president meant he won't be taking part in any of the Republican debates.