Trump says he won't sign Republican loyalty pledge, flouting debate requirement

[brooklynite]

Source: Associated Press

Former President Donald Trump said Wednesday he won’t sign a pledge to support the Republican nominee if he loses the GOP presidential primary, flouting a requirement for appearing in the first debate later this month.

“Why would I sign it?” Trump said in an interview on the conservative cable network Newsmax. “I can name three or four people that I wouldn’t support for president. So right there, there’s a problem.”

He declined to name the candidates he wouldn’t support, saying “there’s no reason to insult them.” But he singled out South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy for praise, saying they “have been very nice.”

Trump said he will announce next week whether he’ll participate in the debate, scheduled for Aug. 23 in Milwaukee, but his refusal to sign the pledge suggests he plans to make good on his threat to skip it. Trump has repeatedly questioned why he should debate his rivals given his substantial polling lead and has suggested he might hold a competing event instead.

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/trump-republican-loyalty-pledge-gop-debate-a3d63a73ef60a2afb1f7aaec68a6d585

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IOW Trump wasn't planning to show up anyway.

[Mz Pip]

1. It's okay if you're Trump

The RNC will let this slide.

[PatSeg]

31. Yep, I was thinking the same thing

He can do anything he wants and the RNC won't abandon him.

[captain queeg]

2. I hope he doesn't show. It would just give him a free opportunity to grandstand

But I guess if he does we’ll all get a good view of the clown show the rethugs have become. He’ll turn it into a 5th grade level shit show.

[ShazzieB]

16. I think it would be great if he doesn't show up for the debate!

We all know what he's like in debates. He's rude, obnoxious, and insulting, interrupts people and talks over them, and just generally sucks all the oxygen out of the room. He adds nothing worthwhile and takes away as much as he can.

I'll bet all the other candidates would be thrilled if he doesn't show up, and why wouldn’t they be? They'd be able to have a real conversation instead of spending half their time fending off his attacks and insults. Each of them would actually have a chance to share their positions and let the voters get to know them a little bit, which is what these things are supposed to be for. Sounds like a win-win to me.

Furthermore, how hilarious would it be if they have the debate without him and then one or more of the others start to shoot up in the polls? Can't you just imagine how he'd react to that? It would be legendary!

[LudwigPastorius]

3. Just the words "Trump" and "loyalty" in the same sentence look funny.

[TeamProg]

17. +1

[speak easy]

4. "three or four people that I wouldn't support"

Chris Christie, Will Hurd, Asa Hutchinson, and Mike Pence for starters.

[applegrove]

5. He's going to run for President even if he loses the nomination.

Oh my!!!

[TeamProg]

18. Split the ticket! Go for it Gold Toilet Boy! nt

[lastlib]

28. He has to--it's his only hope.

[OAITW r.2.0]

6. Trump has a limited remaining shelf life.

What's a Party to do when you have no platform, no vision, no policy, no candidates to promote your existence?

[keopeli]

7. He's determined to permanently kill of the party of Lincoln.

[Fullduplexxx]

29. it stopped being the party of lincoln in the late 50's

[bmichaelh]

8. Not what Trump wants

I think Trump wants a loyalty pledge not to a party but to himself

[keopeli]

9. Duh!

[vlyons]

10. Surprise surprise hahaha

Not!!! Not surprised that he won't sign, and won't be surprised if he doesn't debate. Trump ain't a team player. He's a malignant narcissist. He couldn't engage in a debate if he wanted to. He certainly couldn't stand all the criticism and references to his indictments.

Anyway, I wouldn't watch a GOP debate for love or money. The d0-nothing party.

[speak easy]

12. 'I will support Chris Christie if he is the nominee.'

[3Hotdogs]

11. He won't show.But he will stage a rally at the same time as the debate.

[speak easy]

13. He does not need to.

That debate will be about tearing down DeSantis.

[3Hotdogs]

14. He doesn't need to

but he will want to.

[agingdem]

15. he won't sign a loyalty pledge?....not our problem

he wants to destroy the GOP...let him, still not our problem..Trump and his primary opponents (toxic in their own right) can tear each apart...satisfying to watch but still not our problem

we are in the fight of our lives as a nation...we have to work our asses off to make sure Trump (or Trump-lite) never occupies the Oval Office again...and that IS our problem...

[patphil]

19. He doesn't want to sign a loyality pledge to the GOP, he wants the GOP to sign one to him.

[Jarqui]

20. He needs the threat of running as an independent

to keep them loyal to him.

If he doesn't win the nomination, he can prevent them from winning by running as a 3rd party.
He may be able to flip that threat into a pardon.

[rpannier]

21. He's 45 points ahead. He didn't show for the 1st debate in 2016. Lost IA primary in 2016

He really has nothing to gain by going
Especially since it looks like Christie has qualified
He's the one person that can legitimately go after Trump and has the ability to make him look weak and pathetic
The rest are just caricatures

[Polybius]

32. He was at the first debate

That was the one where he didn't raise his hand when asked who would support the Republican nominee if you lose. The last debate or two he didn't show.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

22. "They should sign a loyalty pledge to me" Donnie Dumbshit

[JohnnyRingo]

23. Because if he loses he'll form the MAGA Party.

His ego and his followers demands it.
If he splits the party, I'll demand it too.

[MissMillie]

24. Well, now he has an "excuse" lol

Demagogue before party

party before country

[thesquanderer]

25. Yup, a good excuse to not do something he didn't want to do anyway. n/t

[sarcasmo]

26. Trump's ex-wives know, Trump has no loyalty.

[Lonestarblue]

27. Other Republicans on the debate stage should insist that an empty chair or podium with Trump's name

on it be placed front and center on the stage. Since he is the leader in the polls, that is the position he would occupy. The candidates can then refer to the missing candidate with a visual.

[Fullduplexxx]

30. maybe they can bring in old clint to talk to the empty chair

[republianmushroom]

33. Suck it up republicans.

He is rubbing your nose in it.
30 months and counting

[Marthe48]

34. Way to separate the chaff from the wheat

n/t

[SWBTATTReg]

35. He won't even pledge to back America, so what's the surprise here? Traitor. NT

[twodogsbarking]

36. But yet they are loyal to you. Well played.

[ificandream]

37. It'd be great if they put a Trump inflated dummy in a chair at the debate.

It'd be a very accurate representation of him.

[GenThePerservering]

39. Or a brown puddle nt

[Jose Garcia]

38. Why the heck would he warnt to be in the debates?

He has nothing to gain and everything to lose.