Former White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany asserted that her former boss, GOP candidate Donald Trump, was making a “huge political miscalculation.”
McEnany warned the former president it would be a mistake for Trump to skip all 2023–2024 primary debates.
Trump indicated on his Truth Social platform that he would skip all GOP primary debates, the first of which is scheduled for this Wednesday.
Trump wrote: “The public knows who I am & what a successful Presidency I had, with Energy Independence, Strong Borders & Military, Biggest EVER Tax & Regulation Cuts, No Inflation, Strongest Economy in History & much more. I WILL THEREFORE NOT BE DOING THE DEBATES!”
McEnany explained: “During the debates, [Trump] felt like he was being cornered. When he feels like he’s being cornered, he always goes back to his base.”
McEnany added: “He felt like the moderators were not asking fair questions. He felt like they were trying to trip him up.”
Trump has defied political norms since taking office in 2016. According to McEnany, Trump believes debates do not provide a good opportunity to share his vision for America and thus believes his rallies are the best forum to stay in front of the people.
While acknowledging that Trump rallies have been tremendously successful, McEnany warned that in the high-stakes world of political maneuvering, Trump’s choice to forgo debates could come back to haunt him.
Recalling the 2020 primary debates, McEnany said: “The first debate was a mess. It was chaotic. It was back and forth. There wasn’t a lot of policy discussed.”
Watch:
Kayleigh-McEnany-Argues-Trump-Is-About-To-Make-Huge-Political-Miscalculation
The Daily Caller noted that few would contest McEnany’s observation. The first debate was a spectacle of interruptions and accusations.
McEnany also warned the “biggest strategic risk” is that Trump’s decision to avoid debates could embolden President Biden’s likely plan to avoid debates in the 2024 election cycle.
According to The New York Times, a pre-recorded interview with Trump will air during the debates on Tucker Carlson’s “Tucker on Twitter” show.
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