Trump releases his own GOP debate bingo as he mocks party by doing Tucker Carlson interview instead

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Donald Trump has released his own debate bingo card ahead of the first faceoff of the 2024 GOP primary.

Mr Trump also announced that his interview with Tucker Carlson will be shown at 9pm ET, serving as counterprogramming to the GOP debate.

Mr Trump wrote on Truth Social on Wednesday: “MY INTERVIEW WITH TUCKER CARLSON WILL BE AIRED TONIGHT AT 9:00 P.M. ‘SPARKS WILL FLY.’ ENJOY!”

Mr Trump’s bingo card specifically went after Florida Gov Ron DeSantis, and included tiles such as “Ron shows emotion” and “saved by Fox News”.

It is still unclear where the interview with Carlson will be shown, but many assume it will be aired on X, seeing as the platform airs the former Fox News host’s new show, “Tucker on Twitter.”

Mr Trump’s Truth Social post seemed to mock the Republican Party – and Fox News – as he seeks to lure viewers away from other candidates and the network, which he has recently bashed.

The 2024 GOP frontrunner has repeatedly declared that he would not be participating in the debate – which is scheduled to be broadcast on Wednesday on Fox News.

Mr Trump confirmed that he was opting out over the weekend, explaining that he won’t participate since Americans are already familiar with him, and he is polling well. He wrote on Truth Social: “The public knows who I am & what a successful Presidency I had…I WILL THEREFORE NOT BE DOING THE DEBATES!”

He is leading in the polls by a significant margin, as he stands at 52.2 per cent – and the next closest contender is Florida Governor Ron DeSantis who is carrying 14.5 per cent, according to FiveThirtyEight.

The former president was even pushed by Fox News executives to attend the debate, but their efforts were unsuccessful.

The first primary debate will be held at the same time as the interview with the former president – at 9pm ET on Fox News.

The eight candidates who have qualified for the debate, meaning they have at least 40,000 unique donors as well as at least one per cent in two national polls and two early state polls, are: former Vice President Mike Pence, South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, North Dakota Gov Doug Burgum, former New Jersey Gov Chris Christie, Florida Gov Ron DeSantis, South Carolina former Gov Nikki Haley, former Arkansas Gov Asa Hutchinson, and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy.