Donald Trump Jr. will attend GOP debate as media surrogate

Turns out Donald Trump will be at Wednesday night’s first Republican primary debate — just not the Donald Trump everyone’s thinking of.

Donald Trump Jr. said Monday he will attend the initial showdown as a surrogate for his father, former President Donald Trump — who confirmed Sunday night he would not be on the Fiserv Forum stage.

“We’re excited to see all of our friends in Milwaukee who want to Make America Great Again!!!” Donald Trump Jr. posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, after The Daily Caller reported he and his fiancée, Kimberly Guilfoyle, will show up at the Fox News debate.

The pair, who host the Rumble shows “Triggered with Donald Trump Jr.” and “The Kimberly Guilfoyle Show,” are expected to run media for the former president, but it was not immediately clear whether they would be granted official press credentials or access to the post-debate “spin room.”

Reps for Fox News and the Trump campaign did not immediately respond to requests for comment or answer questions about whether any other surrogates for the 45th president would be at the venue.

Trump, 77, announced that he would skip the GOP debates, citing his “legendary” poll numbers, particularly a CBS News poll that found 62% of likely Republican primary voters nationwide support his 2024 candidacy.

“New CBS POLL, just out, has me leading the field by ‘legendary’ numbers. TRUMP 62%, 46 Points above DeSanctimonious (who is crashing like an ailing bird!), Ramaswamy 7%, Pence 5%, Scott 3%, Haley 2%, Sloppy Chris Christie 2%, ‘Aida’ Hutchinson 1%,” the former president said in a Truth Social post.

“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!”

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, former Vice President Mike Pence, Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum have met RNC donor and polling requirements and pledged to support the eventual GOP nominee.

Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson said on Sunday he has also met the donor and polling threshold and plans to sign the candidates’ pledge.

The Republican National Committee was expected to confirm the final debate lineup Tuesday.

As debate counterprogramming, Trump is expected to release a pre-recorded interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson Wednesday night.