Fox News personalities Steve Doocy, Brian Kilmeade, John Roberts, and Piers Morgan are urging Donald Trump to participate in the first Republican presidential candidates debate of the 2024 cycle, which will be held next month in Milwaukee and broadcast on Fox News. Trump has been hesitant to commit to the debate and has indicated that he is leaning against it. However, various hosts on Fox News have taken it upon themselves to advocate for Trump's participation.
Piers Morgan, who hosts a show on the Fox Nation streaming platform, recently called on Trump to join the debate, stating that if he wants to be president again, he needs to face the debate music. Other Fox personalities have also argued that Trump's participation is crucial for the democratic process and for attracting a significant viewing audience due to his standing in the party and lead in the polls.
Fox News management has not encouraged on-air talent to lobby Trump to appear at the debate. However, the co-hosts of "Fox & Friends" and other anchors have publicly pitched the event to Trump, emphasizing that it would be an opportunity for him to shine and prepare for a general election debate with President Biden.
Despite the pleas from Fox News personalities, one Trump adviser stated that it is highly unlikely that the former president will participate. The Republican National Committee (RNC) has been actively lobbying Trump to attend the debate, with RNC chairwoman Ronna McDaniel arguing that he should be there to respond to the other candidates who will be talking about him. However, Trump believes that his participation would only benefit his competitors by bringing higher ratings to a debate that would otherwise have lower ratings without him.
While Fox News anchors John Roberts and Sandra Smith agree that Trump's participation is vital for the democratic process and for voters to get a look at all the candidates, Trump advisers believe that the on-air lobbying could backfire due to his lingering anger towards a network he perceives as insufficiently supportive of him. Additionally, due to a decline in cable television viewership, the network does not expect the same level of viewership as in previous debates, even if Trump participates.
