What to know about the candidate: Former president Donald Trump has repeatedly said that he sees no need to join his rivals on the debate stage when he holds such a commanding position in the race for the nomination. He plans to skip the debate and instead post a prerecorded interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson that will be released Wednesday night, according to a person briefed on the matter. Facing four indictments, he is still running well ahead of his closest rival, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, in recent polls.
Keep an eye on this: Trump has proven he can draw attention away from his rivals, and with the deadline looming Friday for him to surrender in Fulton County, Ga., he will have plenty of opportunities to direct the national conversation back to himself. If he skips the debate as expected, he could become a focal point for those onstage — but he won’t be there to defend himself as he has in past GOP debates.
