Everything You Need to Know About the GOP Debate

The first Republican presidential debate happens August 23 in Milwaukee, starting at 9 p.m. ET and going for two hours. Airing on Fox News Channel, Fox News chief political anchor Bret Baier and The Story anchor Martha MacCallum moderate from the Fiserv Forum arena.

Fox Business Network will simulcast Fox News Channel’s live coverage.

Fox Nation will live-stream the event, as will Rumble.

Milwaukee hosts the Republican National Convention next year.

Former President Donald Trump said he is skipping the debate. Expected to participate are Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, former Vice President Mike Pence, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson.

Trump recorded an interview with Tucker Carlson, former Fox News host, and the plan is to premiere it around the same time as the debate. The platform on which it will run has not been revealed.

Carlson was dismissed from Fox News in April.

Ronna McDaniel, chairwoman of the RNC, met with Trump at his private club in Bedminster, New Jersey, last month to urge him to take part in the debate. Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott and president Jay Wallace also met with Trump at his Bedminster club to encourage him to turn up in Milwaukee and take part.

They do not appear to have been successful.

Christie posted on X, as Twitter is now known: “Surprise, surprise … the guy who is out on bail from four jurisdictions and can’t defend his reprehensible conduct, is running scared and hiding from the debate stage. Trump — certified loser, verified coward.”

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