On Tuesday, former President Donald Trump hinted that he might not participate in the Republican presidential primary debates in 2024 to avoid being subjected to critical moderators’ “abuse.”

He accused GOP organizers of aligning with his adversaries and stated that he would not hesitate to boycott the debates, particularly since he is the current front-runner.

“When you’re leading by seemingly insurmountable numbers, and you have hostile Networks with angry, TRUMP & MAGA hating anchors asking the ‘questions,’ why subject yourself to being libeled and abused?” Trump wrote on his social media site.

In addition, Trump criticized the choice of the Ronald Reagan Library as the venue for the second planned debate, citing the fact that the chairman of its board is Fred Ryan, the publisher of the Washington Post.

If Trump continues to lead the nomination race, he may perceive the debates as an unwelcome chance for his competitors to catch up. Right-wing commentator Steve Bannon has even called for the debates to be canceled due to Trump’s overwhelming dominance of the GOP field.

“It’s an insult to the president [Trump] and an insult to MAGA,” Bannon said. “Full stop, no debates.”

Nikki Haley, former UN Ambassador, has announced her candidacy for the 2024 Republican presidential race, and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is considering joining. Meanwhile, former Vice President Mike Pence is also said to be weighing his options.

The Republican National Committee (RNC) has scheduled the first two debates to start in August, with the first to be broadcasted on Fox News. RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel has stated that any GOP candidate who wishes to participate in the debates must commit to supporting the eventual Republican nominee, which Trump has not yet agreed to since he considers it unnecessary.

Trump has a track record of using his influence over debates to his benefit. For instance, he declined to participate in a vital Republican competition in Iowa ahead of the 2016 caucuses because he objected to Megyn Kelly from Fox News serving as a moderator. Trump also withdrew from one of the general-election debates with President Biden since the organizers had decided to hold it remotely due to COVID-19 concerns.

In recent news, Republicans have withdrawn from the bipartisan group that organizes presidential debates for the general election, raising doubts as to whether they will proceed as in previous campaigns.