Americans agree that presidential candidates should be required to participate in debates to run for office.
The calls for debate come as former President Donald Trump plans to avoid the first GOP debate and President Joe Biden has ruled out debates with Democratic challengers.
Americans say this should be mandatory to be on the presidential ticket: 'most crucial part' of an election https://t.co/rAhzl60JC5
— Fox News (@FoxNews) July 27, 2023
"So far, seven candidates have qualified to be on stage for the first GOP primary debate on Aug. 23, but the former president is 'highly unlikely to participate' in the Milwaukee event, a Trump adviser told The Washington Post," Fox News reported.
"Earlier this month, Trump told Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo, 'When you have a big lead, you don’t do it,'" it added.
Should President Trump participate in debates? https://t.co/dLU3VuP6UY
— Brigitte Gabriel (@ACTBrigitte) July 25, 2023
"Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel is reportedly begging former President Donald Trump to participate in the upcoming Republican presidential debates, despite his reluctance to commit," Trending Politics reported.
"The first debate of the 2024 cycle is set to take place next month in Milwaukee, and it will be broadcast on Fox News," it continued.
Fellow candidates, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, have also challenged Trump to participate in the first GOP debate.
Trump has blamed his large lead as the reason for not participating but the issue may be otherwise as the RNC requires participants to agree to back the eventual nominee, something Trump has been hesitant to do.
The former president would also likely like to avoid questions about his legal battles, with Trump claiming the first debate would be a "trap" for him as moderators and candidates attack his lawsuits.
The debate is less than a month away with many Americans hoping Trump will change his mind in time to join in the discussion.
