Fox News will not issue credentials for surrogates of 45th President Donald Trump, effectively banning them from the media “spin room” for the first Republican debate, with the network acting after the former president confirmed he will not attend the debate, citing his overwhelming position in the polls.
Yesterday Trump confirmed he will not attend Wednesday’s debate, noting his 46-point lead over his nearest competitors. This also means Trump will not subject himself to the loyalty pledge the Republican National Committee (RNC) requires those attending to sign. That pledge asks Trump – and all Republicans who want access to the debate stage – to ultimately endorse the Republican nominee.
Now, a CNN reporter has confirmed that Fox News will not issue credentials to Trump’s surrogates, and has informed the former president’s campaign that some of its allies will not be allowed to enter.
Several Trump advisers & top surrogates had been planning to attend both the debate & represent the former president in the spin room despite his absence
Some of Trump’s surrogates are credentialed through outside media groups and will not be impacted
— Alayna Treene (@alaynatreene) August 22, 2023
Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., recently announced his plans to attend the debate, likely serving as a surrogate. His fiancée, Kimberly Guilfoyle, was also expected to run media for the former president, according to the New York Post.
However, CNN reporter Alayna Treene later clarified that some of Trump’s surrogates will be able to access the “spin room” after being credentialed through “outside media groups.”
Members of Trump's teams and his surrogates, however, are still planning on traveling to Milwaukee and are working on a resolution with the network as well as the RNC, two Trump advisers told CNN
— Alayna Treene (@alaynatreene) August 22, 2023
Still, Treene added that Trump’s team, and surrogates, “are still planning on traveling to Milwaukee and are working on a resolution with the network as well as the RNC.”
Trump’s team also expressed confidence at finding credentials from outside Fox News to attend the “spin room.”
The move from Fox News comes amid a growing feud between the former president and the cable news network. Some have speculated that Fox News visionary Rupert Murdoch may simply dislike the nationalist vision put forward by Trump, and individuals like former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, who he reportedly fired after a furious dinner.
The first Republican debate will be broadcast on Fox News and streamed on Rumble this Wednesday.
