Trump says GOP should stop ‘wasting time’ on debates while opponents spar nearby

Former President Trump on Wednesday mocked his primary rivals and sought to cement his status as the front-runner for the 2024 Republican nomination as he counterprogrammed the third GOP primary debate with one of his signature campaign rallies.

Trump held court with thousands of supporters in Hialeah, Fla., roughly 15 miles away from where five of his GOP primary rivals were debating around the same time on a stage in Miami. Trump spent relatively little time going after the other candidates seeking the Republican nomination, though, a nod to his front-runner status with two months until the Iowa caucuses kick off the primary calendar. 

The former president has previously called for the Republican National Committee to stop hosting GOP debates over the next election cycle, given his double-digit front-runner status. It was a notion he seemed to reiterate Wednesday night.

“It’s time for the Republican establishment to stop wasting time and resources trying to push weak and ineffective RINOs and never-Trumpers that nobody wants and nobody is going to vote for,” Trump said, effectively calling for an end to future debates.

“Do you think we did the right thing by not participating?” he asked, drawing cheers from the crowd. “Somebody said … ‘He doesn’t have the courage to stand up.’ Well listen, I’m standing in front of tens of thousands of people right now, and it’s on television. That’s a hell of a lot harder to do than a debate.”