This Is How Trump’s Absence Affected the First Republican Debate in the Presidential Primary

Despite his absence from the list of speakers in the first primary debate for potential Republican candidates for the 2024 presidential election, former U.S. President Donald Trump was one of the most prominent issues that dominated the event.

Trump announced that he would not attend the debate due to the large difference between him and the rest of the candidates in opinion polls, preferring to appear with former Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson in a recorded interview broadcast on X platform, coinciding with the start of the Republican debate.

Although experts believed that Trump’s absence would negatively affect interest in the first Republican debate, others believed that this might give other candidates a greater opportunity to appear, which is what happened, as businessman Vivek Ramaswamy (the first-time candidate) was the central figure for most of the debate.

While most of the Republican candidates were largely united around a tough line on China, they differed sharply on the Ukraine war, with some refusing to send more aid to Kyiv.

The following participated in the debate: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (44 years), businessman Vivek Ramaswamy (38 years), Senator Tim Scott (57 years), former Vice President Mike Pence (64 years), former UN ambassador Nikki Haley (51 years), former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie (60 years), former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson (72 years), and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum (67 years).

 

GOP Debate

Debt issues, government spending, taxes, abortion, and Donald Trump’s trials dominated the first Republican debate among potential presidential candidates, while the candidate of Indian origin, Vivek Ramaswamy, raised a commotion on the debate platform, and entered into a heated argument with more than one candidate.

Despite Trump’s absence from the debate held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on August 24, he dominated a large part of the debate. While some candidates defended Trump, former UN ambassador Nikki Haley considered him the most hated politician in America, emphasizing the need for a new leader for the conservative movement in the United States.

Attacking President Joe Biden’s economic policies was a major feature of the debate. While most candidates attacked Biden’s record, Nikki Haley chose to direct her criticism at Trump. She said that his policies led to the current economic situation, noting that he added $8 trillion to the size of the public debt.

The candidates also pledged to reduce the $31 trillion debt level and cut government spending.

The debate began with a video showing Biden talking about his economic policy, followed by interviews with citizens complaining about high prices, high inflation, and the cost of living.

The eight Republicans were asked whether they would support Trump as the party’s nominee even if he was convicted of a crime. All but two said they would.

The question sparked a verbal fight between Christie and Ramaswamy.

Pence justified his choice not to support Trump, saying: “On January 6, 2021, the president asked me to reject the votes of Americans. He asked me to put it above the constitution, and I chose the constitution. No vice president has this power.”

As for DeSantis, he refused to talk about the matter, and said: “This election is not about January 6, 2021. The Democrats want to talk about these matters, and I want to talk about the future.”

Hutchinson considers that Trump has become morally incompetent to assume the position of president because of what he did on January 6 and stormed Congress.

Christie said that Pence deserves our thanks because he did his duty to the Constitution, and therefore, we must get rid of the person who wanted to suspend the Constitution.

While Ramaswamy responded, “We cannot allow a precedent like this to happen. For the party in power to use its influence to go after its opponents.”

After a tug-of-war between them, Christie said, “I will not bow to anyone when it comes to having a president of the U.S. who does not respect the Constitution. I will always defend the Constitution regardless of political pressure.”

Haley believes Pence did the right thing by certifying the votes on January 6.

“There must be a new leader for the party. Trump is the most hated politician in America. We cannot win a general election this way,” she said.

Credit: Fox News

 

Republican Disagreement

The issue of climate change sparked a row between the two candidates, and DeSantis refused to answer whether or not he believed climate change was real, as did the rest of the candidates except for Ramaswamy and Haley.

“Climate change is a lie, and the carbon emissions lie is what is holding our economy back,” Ramaswamy said.

Christy criticized Ramaswamy for the way he spoke, saying: “Here’s a guy who looks like Chat GBT, standing here talking to us like that, reminding us of President Barack Obama.”

Other candidates also criticized Ramaswamy for his young age and lack of political experience.

In turn, Ramaswamy replied, “I am not a politician. I am a businessman. My parents came here from India without money. I was able to build companies worth billions of dollars. This is the American dream.”

Haley criticized the riots between the two candidates and adopted a more moderate version on climate change, and said: “Climate change is real, but if you want climate change, you must tell China and India to reduce their emissions.”

She added, “All Biden has done by supporting electric cars is helping China, where half of the electric cars are made. We are putting money in China’s pocket.”

Candidates disagreed on the best way to handle abortion as a political issue, and while most on the platform support the restrictions in some form, the issue proved to be a deep weakness for the party in the last general election, according to Reuters.

Haley supported a woman’s right to abortion without prosecution and without a federal ban on the right to abortion, preferring to leave it to the states and expressing her support for preventing abortion after 15 weeks.

DeSantis, who signed Florida’s abortion prevention law six weeks later, declined to say outright whether he would enforce it at the federal level, saying, “You’re going to have a pro-life president in the White House.”

Pence said he would be a president supporting the right to life, expressing his support for a federal ban on abortion (that is, at 15 weeks), adding that this is a decision supported by 70% of Americans.

As for Governor Doug Burgum, he announced his opposition to imposing a federal ban on abortion, supporting the right of each state to impose what it sees, knowing that he had signed a ban on abortion after 6 weeks in his state.

As for Senator Tim Scott, he strongly supported a federal ban on abortion, and said: “We cannot allow New York and California to perform abortions until delivery and when requested, we must fight for life.”

The issue of military aid to Ukraine also raised a dispute between the candidates, although the majority of them supported sending more weapons to Kyiv, Ramaswamy was among the staunch opponents of this policy, criticizing those who make pilgrimages to Kyiv to visit Pope Zelenskyy, referring to Pence and Christie who visited Kyiv weeks ago.

In turn, Christie replied, “I went to Ukraine because I wanted to see for myself what Russian President Vladimir Putin has done to free Ukrainians. 20,000 children were kidnapped and sent to Russia to be programmed against their country. This is Vladimir Putin, whom Trump described as a brilliant genius.”

As for Pence, he responded to Ramaswamy, saying, “Anyone who says that we cannot solve problems in America and serve as the leader of the free world has a very narrow view of America. We can do both.”

In turn, Ramaswamy replied, “Ukraine is not a priority for the U.S., you cannot start a new war and send our military resources abroad while we can use them here.”

Haley strongly objected to Ramaswamy, saying: “What Vivek does not understand is that Ukraine is the first line of defense for Eastern Europe. Once Russia takes Ukraine, it will launch into Poland and the Baltics. You have no experience in foreign policy, and that is clear.”

“I would have Europe step up and do their job,” DeSantis said, adding that U.S. support for Ukraine as it defends itself from Russia’s aggression should be contingent on Europe boosting its assistance.

DeSantis said more American resources should be sent to the U.S.–Mexico border instead of Kyiv.

 

Trump Dynamic

On the other hand, Donald Trump attacked U.S. President Joe Biden and all potential candidates for the upcoming U.S. presidential elections for both the Republican and Democratic parties, and promised that the top priority would be securing borders and deporting thousands of criminals if he wins the 2024 elections.

Trump said, during his pre-recorded interview with former Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson, justifying his refusal to participate in the debate that brought together potential Republican candidates: “I say, ‘Should I sit there for an hour or two, and be harassed by people who shouldn’t even be running for president?’”

Trump also renewed his attack on current President Joe Biden, describing him as the worst president in U.S. history.

When asked about the possibility of civil war or conflict in the U.S., Trump replied, “I don’t know, but there is a level of enthusiasm that I’ve never seen before, there is a level of hate that I’ve never seen before, and that’s probably a bad mix.”

Trump also pointed out in a post on his Truth Social platform to the most recent opinion poll, published on August 20, 2023. The CBS News poll showed that 62% of respondents would vote for him despite four indictments being brought against him this year.

According to the poll, Trump has a 46-point lead over his closest rival, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (16%). Commenting on this, Trump considered DeSantis to collapse like a sick bird.

With 5 months before the start of the primaries during which the Republican nominee will be chosen to run in the 2024 presidential elections, Trump still enjoys the support of his base, which is stronger than ever, but his legal problems cast a shadow over his attempt to return to the White House.

However, despite his strong lead in opinion polls, those close to the Republican billionaire fear that his competitors will take advantage of his absence to launch a dynamic campaign against him and achieve gains at his expense.

In this context, observers pointed out that Trump lost in 2016 the state of Iowa to Texas Senator Ted Cruz after he was absent from a debate.

In turn, the GOP informed the candidates that, in order to participate in the debate, they must pledge to respect the will of the voters in the primaries and to support the final candidate, although it is not yet clear how such a pledge could be implemented, Trump said he would not sign any.