GOP Issues Debate Rules, But Will Trump Bother to Show Up?

The Republican National Committee released its first presidential debate’s criteria Friday that require candidates to have at least 40,000 unique donors, earn at least 1 percent in certain polls and sign a loyalty oath that requires them to support the eventual nominee in the process.

SIMI VALLEY, CA-SEPTEMBER. 16: Republican presidential candidates Jeb Bush and Donald Trump take part in the presidential debates at the Reagan Library on September 16, 2015 in Simi Valley, California. Fifteen Republican presidential candidates are participating in the second set of Republican presidential debates. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) — Justin Sullivan/GettyJustin Sullivan/Getty

The Aug. 23 debate is scheduled to be held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and is sponsored by Fox News, Rumble and the Young America’s Foundation political group.

But one candidate said he might not make the state: frontrunner Donald Trump has repeatedly suggested he could skip the event because he claimed media coverage of him has been unfair.

“I see that everybody is talking about the Republican Debates, but nobody got my approval, or the approval of the Trump Campaign, before announcing them,” Trump wrote in April on his Truth Social media network.

A spokesman couldn’t be reached for comment.

If he shows, Trump will likely be at the middle of the stage because, the RNC rules state, the highest-polling candidates will in the center. Rules for future debates may change.

Here are the qualification criteria as promulgated by the RNC for candidates to qualify for the debate stage:

Poll at least 1 percent in three national polls or 1 percent in two national polls and 1 percent in one early state poll from two separate early states (Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada or South Carolina).
Survey at least 800 registered likely Republican voters via live calls, robo-polls, online panels and/o text message.
Properly weight the poll to reflect proper demographic groups.
Ask the presidential race question prior to asking any other question in order to avoid potentially biased responses that favor or disfavor of another candidate or candidates.
Poll cannot be conducted by a company affiliated with a candidate or candidate’s committee.
Time frame for the polls: July 1, 2023- 48 hours prior to debate.
40,000 unique donors to a candidate's principal presidential campaign committee (or exploratory committee), with at least 200 unique donors per state or territory in at least 20 states or territories.
Present evidence of donors 72 hours prior to the debate.
Sign a pledge agreeing not to participate in any non-RNC sanctioned debate for the remainder of the election cycle.
Sign a pledge agreeing to support the eventual party nominee.
Sign an RNC data-sharing agreement.
Present the pledges 48 hours prior to the debate.

GOP Issues Debate Rules, But Will Trump Bother to Show Up?

The first big debate is Aug. 23 in Milwaukee, but it's not clear who will have enough support to make the debate stage.