Ron DeSantis tells Trump to ‘step up’ and take him on at debate ‘no one is entitled’ to nomination

Ron DeSantis is challenging Donald Trump for considering not attending the primary debates, saying the ex-president should not assume he is “entitled” to the 2024 nomination.

The Florida governor assured he will participate in the RNC debates, despite previous reports suggesting he could skip if top candidate Trump does not show up. He also called out Trump for turning down other major primary events, such as attending the Iowa Family Leader Summit.

DeSantis believes Americans deserve to hear platforms of all eligible candidates on a debate stage and explained that Trump is not the best candidate to beat President Joe Biden after already losing to him in 2020.

The first debate of the 2024 primary will take place on August 23 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

“No one is entitled to this nomination. You have to earn the nomination,” DeSantis said in an interview on the Howie Carr Show Wednesday night.

Trump has not committed to participate in the first debate in Milwaukee in August — or any of the other RNC debates after they revealed a requirement to sign a pledge to support the eventual nominee

“Doing things like the Iowa Family Leader event, doing things like these debates — they’re important parts of the process,” DeSantis added. “So I’m going to Iowa for that, I’ll be in Milwaukee for the first debate, and I’ll be at all the debates.”

“The American people deserve to hear directly from us about our vision for the country and how we can beat Joe Biden.”

Trump has still not committed to participate in the first Republican National Committee (RNC) debate in August. His rejection of the topic first came after the RNC said candidates would have to sign a pledge to support the eventual nominee if they want to take to the debate stage.

Some close to the ex-president say he thinks debates are beneath him because Trump feels he’s essentially running for the second time as sitting president.

Leaning on his ever-growing criticism of Trump, DeSantis told radio host Carr that he “totally rejects” some perceptions, claiming that the ex-president is somehow above debating candidates who are so far behind him in the polls.

The 2024 hopeful also ripped into his competitor’s presidential platform, saying his proposals are simply “not right.”

“We had the Biden-Trump in 2020 — and the Biden president,” DeSantis explains. “So the idea that he’s entitled after that just doesn’t make sense.”

“So he should debate, he should go to all these things and see if he can earn it with his vision.”

So far, only six of the 15 candidates vying for the 2024 nomination have met the RNC qualifications to debate in August. This includes Trump, DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence, South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, and biotech millionaire Vivek Ramaswamy.

DeSantis isn’t so sure Trump’s platform will be able to compete against others on the debate stage — and he says Americans deserve to see that in full.

“I’ll tell you this from what I’ve seen of him, his campaign actually does two things. First, he promised things like draining the swamp and building the wall that he promised in 2016 and failed to deliver on. And then two, these new ideas like building 20 cities and letting the parents choose school principals – let the federal government do that.”

“Those are not good ideas,” the Florida governor said. And so, I just think folks — every candidate has to be put to the test. And I think he should step forward and do it.’

Trump is forgoing the Family Leader forum hosted this weekend by former Fox News host Tucker Carlson in Iowa.

Family Leader President and CEO Bob Vander Plaat tweeted, “I learned last night that Donald Trump will NOT be attending our Leadership Summit this Friday. So, our line-up is set.’

Family Leader President and CEO Bob Vander Place said it’s “not smart” for Trump to also skip this weekend at his forum of 2024 candidates in Iowa

There are 15 candidates vying for the GOP nomination in 2024, with Trump and DeSantis way ahead

Six other candidates in the 2024 Republican primary will participate in interviews with Carlson so far. This includes DeSantis, Pence, Senator Scott, ex-Ambassador Haley, Ramaswamy and former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson.

It looks like Trump is sending expert Kari Lake to Iowa this weekend to appear on his behalf in the main first state primary caucus.

Arizona’s failed 2022 gubernatorial nominee will head to Des Moines on Friday and Marion County on Saturday to support the ex-president — first at a rally and then over breakfast the next morning.

Vanderplaats said skipping his forum and attacking Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds on Truth Social doesn’t prepare him for success in Hawkeye state.

‘Dom is just as stupid. That’s just not smart,” he said in an interview this week.