Trump calls his 4 indictments ‘nonsense’ throughout Tucker Carlson interview airing reverse the GOP debate

Trump confirmed over the weekend that he was skipping the primary GOP main debate for the 2024 race as a result of “the public knows who I am,” and he had little to realize from becoming a member of his rivals on stage.

He stated one thing comparable through the Carlson interview. “We’re doing this interview, but we’ll get bigger ratings using this crazy forum that you’re using than probably the debate,” Trump mused. “I think cable [viewership] is down because it’s lost credibility.”

It stays to be see what kind of scores the Fox News debate will pull in from the dwell broadcast, from streams and from later viewings, in fact. Just earlier than 10 p.m. Eastern, the clip posted to Tucker Carlson’s feed on X.com was approaching 75 million views.

Read extra: Non-Trump Republican presidential candidates to attempt for ‘breakout moment’ on this week’s debate

Trump had teased on his Truth Social platform forward of the controversy that “sparks will fly,” and the sitdown with Carlson on the former president’s non-public golf membership in Bedminster, N.J. And Carlson’s wide-ranging interview subjects had been designed with soundbites in thoughts, resembling asking Trump about Jeffrey Epstein, or whether or not one other civil struggle is brewing within the U.S. — versus many points prime of thoughts for voters, resembling excessive inflation.

Some highlights from the Trump & Tucker present:

• On why Trump skipped the Fox News debate:

“Do I sit there for an hour or two hours, whatever it’s going to be, and get harassed by people that shouldn’t even be running for president? Should I be doing that?” he requested, particularly since he’s such a frontrunner within the polls, up to now.

“I just felt it would be more appropriate not to do the debate. I don’t think it’s right to do it if you’re leading by 50, 60, one poll I’m leading by 70 points,” he stated.

And he threw in a dig to Fox News, calling it “A network that isn’t particularly friendly to me.” 

He additionally stated the community made “a terrible move” in firing Carlson.

• On the state of the nation:

“We have a country that is very fragile right now,” Trump stated, arguing he’s a candidate for the left, the proper and independents, alike.

“You have great people in the Democrat party, you have great people that are Democrats. Most people in the country are fantastic,” he stated, “and I’m representing everybody, I’m not just Republican or conservative, I represent everybody, I’m the president of everybody.”  

• And on his authorized points:

“The four indictments, and maybe there will be more, I don’t know,” he stated. But he stated his ballot numbers and fundraising hold going up after every indictment as a result of, “I think the people in this country don’t get enough credit for how smart they are. They get it, they really get it … I got indicted four times, all trivia, all nonsense. Bullshit, it’s all bullshit.”

And catch as much as what his GOP rivals had been moving into by following MarketWatch’s debate dwell weblog right here.

• Carlson ended the interview by asking Trump whether or not the nation is headed for civil struggle or open battle. Trump referred to as Jan. 6 “an interesting day,” and stated he didn’t know. “There’s a level of passion that I’ve never seen. There’s a level of hatred that I’ve never seen. And [that’s] probably a bad combination.”