Republican debate: Fox News plans to use video clips of Donald Trump while grilling his 2024 GOP rivals if he snubs the event for Tucker Carlson interview

Fox News is considering showing video clips of Donald Trump during questions to other candidates during the upcoming GOP presidential primary debate, according to a new report.

The network’s hosts Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum will moderate Wednesday’s debate in Milwaukee, which Trump has told his aides he plans to skip in favor of an online interview with Tucker Carlson, according to the New York Times.

If Trump counterprograms the debate by appearing with Carlson, a former Fox News host now at odds with his old bosses, it would spark an epic battle for viewers during the primary season’s first major event.

In response, the Fox team is considering integrating Trump video clips into their debate questions, and is preparing to ask other candidates about Trump’s latest indictment in Georgia, the Times reported.

It’s unclear exactly what clips they’ll be using — and whether Fox is trying to trick Trump into appearing.

“If he’s not there, he’s still there,” Baier said Politics this week, hinting at the network’s strategy for a Trump no-show. “In other words, he’ll be part of the interrogation.”

“There may be sound bites, there may be elements where ‘this is what the leader of the primary is saying on this subject.’ He will be there even if he is not there,” he added.

If Trump (seen in 2018) counterprograms the debate by appearing with Carlson, a former Fox News host now at odds with his old bosses, it would spark an epic battle for viewers

The moderators said they have prepared questions for Trump if he is present, but that his absence will not radically change the topics they want to cover.

“For the most part, we talk about topics like buckets of questions,” Baier said. “The buckets wouldn’t change that much whether he’s in or not. Maybe some of the interaction between the candidates would change something.’

A Fox News spokeswoman declined to comment when reached by DailyMail.com on Saturday.

In addition to Trump, these are the candidates who qualified for the first Republican debate Ron DeSantis, Vivek Ramaswamy, Mike Pence, Chris Christie, Nikki Haley, Tim Scott and Doug Burgum.

Officially, Trump’s debate plans have not yet been confirmed, a campaign spokesman said.

The Republican National Committee has told Trump he must make a final decision by Monday if he wants a spot on the podium.

As Trump dominates the field and towers far above his opponents, some observers warn that a no-show could give his rivals a chance to create a viral moment and gain momentum.

DeSantis, who is a distant second in the GOP field, will try to boost his polls with a strong debate performance

Christie, who is running a campaign based largely on Trump bashing, has already lashed out at the frontrunner’s likely absence from the debate stage

Shortly after learning of his third criminal indictment, Trump dined at his New Jersey golf club with Fox News executives who reportedly suggested DeSantis steal the show in his absence.

DeSantis, who is a distant second in the GOP field, will try to boost his polls with a strong debate performance.

However, there are also risks for DeSantis: With leader Trump gone, DeSantis will be the focus of attacks from the rest of the field, and his ability to parry successfully will be critical.

Meanwhile, Republican strategist and pollster Frank Luntz told DailyMail.com he believes Trump’s legal troubles may be the former president’s real reason for skipping the debate.

Trump faces four separate criminal cases and has until Friday to surrender in Georgia, where he was charged with an alleged plot to overturn the state’s 2020 election results. He denies any allegation.

Frankly, I don’t see how he can have a presidential debate. I don’t think his lawyers will allow him. Every time he speaks, he puts himself in serious legal jeopardy, and a debate situation is even worse,” Luntz said in an email Saturday.

“Besides, he’s afraid of Chris Christie. If Trump is cocky enough to take a debate stage, Governor Christie will destroy him,” he added.

Christie, who is running a campaign based largely on Trump bashing, has already lashed out at the frontrunner’s likely absence from the debate stage.

In a post on X, the former governor of New Jersey called Trump a “certified loser” and “verified coward.”

“If he thinks he should be the nominee, if he believes he has such a great track record, if he thinks he’s the best person to go against Joe Biden, show up Wednesday night and stop being like that “to be a coward,” said Christie. MSNBC on Friday.

“If what he said was true, which is that he has a great track record as president and he’s so far ahead, why not get on the podium and do a victory lap?”

For months, Trump has suggested he reject the first debate — arguing that he is so far ahead of his competitors that a debate is pointless.

“A lot of people ask if I’m going to do the DEBATES?” he posted on Truth Social Friday. ‘People know my record, one of the BEST EVER, so why debate? I’M YOUR MAN. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”

In the same post, Trump said that “ALL AMERICANS have been clamoring for a president of extremely high intelligence.”

“As everyone knows, my Poll numbers, on a ‘wonderful’ field of Republican candidates, are extraordinary,” he continued.

“In fact, I’m more than 50 points ahead of second place, whoever that is.”

Trump made it even clearer that he plans to skip the second debate in California on Sept. 27 because of his issues with the host, the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute.

The library’s prominent speaker series rejected Trump but invited his critics, including former Representative Liz Cheney, one of two now-former GOP lawmakers, to serve on the House selection committee on Jan. 6.