Speculation is swirling that former President Donald Trump might join next month’s Republican primary debate.
Trump’s participation could make for some extra fireworks, as the event will be co-moderated by former Fox News host Megyn Kelly, with whom the former president has famously butted heads.
Trump, who has a commanding lead in the polls, declined to take part in the first three GOP debates.
But on Thursday, TMZ reported that Secret Service agents had scouted out the venue of the upcoming debate, which will take place in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on Dec. 6.
According to TMZ, Trump is the only Republican candidate with Secret Service protection.
After last week’s debate, Trump campaign adviser Chris LaCivita told CBS News that the former president would not participate in the debate in Alabama.
He called the showdown between Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, Vivek Ramaswamy, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott an “interview to be the first-place loser.”
But TMZ’s reporting is fueling speculation that Trump might finally take the debate stage with his 2024 primary opponents. If he does, he will again face Kelly as a moderator.
In 2015, Trump and Kelly squared off during the first debate of the 2016 GOP primary season. A chilly exchange between the two after Kelly brought up Trump’s comments on women sparked a headline-grabbing feud.
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In September, eight years after that confrontation, Trump was interviewed by Kelly. She had assured viewers that the bad blood between them was “under the bridge,” but the interview was tense at times.
Trump later ripped Kelly during a campaign rally in Iowa.
“She became nastier all of a sudden. She was pretty nasty, didn’t you think?” Trump said.
NEW:
Trump slams @megynkelly as “nasty” for asking him tough questions during their interview pic.twitter.com/ty3PqQ8jZC
— John Hasson (@SonofHas) September 20, 2023
Kelly will moderate the fourth GOP debate alongside NewsNation anchor Elizabeth Vargas and Eliana Johnson, editor-in-chief of The Washington Free Beacon.
