Ron DeSantis Calls On Trump To Take Part in Debates and ‘Answer Questions Like the Rest of Us’: ‘Nobody’s Entitled To Be Nominated’

Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis called on former President Donald Trump to take part in the first 2024 Republican primary debate next month during an appearance on Newsmax, Wednesday.

Asked by The Balance host Eric Bolling whether he had changed his strategy against Trump, his chief primary rival, DeSantis said:

When I announced my candidacy in May, I was asked questions about Trump criticizing me. I hit back very directly, but it was on substance. What I’m not gonna do is I’m not gonna attack him personally, I’m not gonna call him names, I’m not gonna do that. That’s just not my style, not my cup of tea, but we’ve been very direct. Where there’s differences on policy, we identify that and we can let the people decide.

On whether Trump should appear in the first Republican primary debate next month — which Trump has repeatedly indicated he is going to skip — DeSantis said, “I think he ought to debate. I’m gonna debate, I’m gonna be there, I think it’s a great opportunity for us to have a great discussion about the country’s future.”

The governor argued that “nobody’s entitled to be nominated, you gotta earn it,” and concluded, “I think he should show up and make his case and answer questions like the rest of us.”

Trump has received increasing pressure from Republican Party chair Ronna McDaniel, Fox News, and his own primary rivals to take part in the upcoming debates. However, the former president has repeatedly dismissed taking part, pointing to his high poll numbers and the comparatively low numbers of his opponents.

Watch above via Newsmax.

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