Jason Osborne, a former campaign adviser to then-President Donald Trump, has put forth a theory about how Trump might overshadow the upcoming Republican Presidential Debate.
During an appearance on CNN’s “The Source” with anchor Kaitlan Collins, Osborne discussed the uncertainty surrounding Trump’s participation in the debate and potential strategies to divert attention from it.
Osborne suggested that there’s a possibility Trump might turn himself in to the Fulton County jail, either right before or during the debate, effectively diverting media attention away from the debate itself. He reasoned that this move could suck the oxygen out of the room, leading to widespread coverage of Trump’s actions instead.
Despite Osborne’s theory, sources close to the Trump campaign have revealed discussions of counterprogramming strategies to shift focus away from the Fox News debate, which the network is moderating. One potential tactic is arranging an interview between Trump and former Fox News host Tucker Carlson to coincide with the debate, aiming to draw viewers to their conversation instead.
The report also mentioned that Trump has hinted at skipping the debate, pointing to his lead in the polls as a reason for his hesitance to share the stage with fellow GOP contenders. However, there’s still a chance he may ultimately decide to participate.
Trump’s potential counterprogramming strategies include appearances by his allies such as Kari Lake and GOP Congressmen Byron Donalds and Matt Gaetz to work the spin room on his behalf.
Vanity Fair’s report added that Trump may consider appearing on Tucker Carlson’s show during the same time as the debate. Despite these speculations, no concrete decisions have been made.
In terms of the debate itself, several prominent figures, including Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, Senator Tim Scott, former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, former Vice President Mike Pence, and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, have qualified to participate.
