Trump will not sign RNC loyalty pledge required to attend debate

He further indicated that he had "already decided" on whether to attend the debate and that he would announce his plans next week.

By Ben Whedon

Published: August 9, 2023 9:11pm

Former President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced that he will not sign a pledge to support the eventual Republican presidential nominee in 2024 that party leadership requires candidates sign to appear on the Aug. 23 debate stage.

"I wouldn’t sign the pledge," Trump told Newsmax's Eric Bolling. "Why would I sign a pledge if there are people on there that I wouldn’t have. I wouldn’t have certain people as somebody that I would endorse."

He further indicated that he had "already decided" on whether to attend the debate and that he would announce his plans next week. Republican National Committee (RNC) requires that candidates meet donor and polling thresholds, as well as sign the pledge to appear on the debate stage. It remains unclear whether the party will permit Trump to debate without signing it.

The former president is currently the clear frontrunner for the party nomination, leading nearest rival Ron DeSantis by 38.0% in the RealClearPolitics polling average.

RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel has previously warned Trump against skipping the debate, contending that if "you want to win the nomination, you've got to get in front of those primary voters."

Trump famously skipped a debate during the 2016 primary cycle in favor of hosting a fundraising event for veterans' organizations.

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on Twitter.