BREAKING: President Trump announces he will not participate in primary debates

“New CBS POLL, just out, has me leading the field by "legendary” numbers. TRUMP 62%, 46 Points above DeSanctimonious (who is crashing like an ailing bird!), Ramaswamy 7%, Pence 5%, Scott 3%, Haley 2%, Sloppy Chris Christie 2%, "Aida" Hutchinson 1%. The public knows who I am & what a successful Presidency I had, with Energy Independence, Strong Borders & Military, Biggest EVER Tax & Regulation Cuts, No Inflation, Strongest Economy in History, & much more. I WILL THEREFORE NOT BE DOING THE DEBATES!” Trump announced.

This news comes just after it was reported that the former president plans to attend an interview with Tucker Carlson instead of appearing for the first primary debate. Numerous current polls indicate that Trump is the frontrunner of the Republican primary by a wide margin, leading his entire opposition by double digits.

Earlier in the year, Trump posed online, "When you're leading by seemingly insurmountable numbers, and you have hostile Networks with angry, Trump and MAGA hating anchors asking the 'questions,' why subject yourself to being libeled and abused?"

Trump hinted at his plan to forgo the debate last Thursday. He said that "Reagan didn’t do it, and neither did others," and that people "know [his] Record, one of the best ever."

Some have attempted to change the former president's mind in regard to his planned absence; RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel visited Trump's Bedminster golf club to try to persuade the former president and GOP favorite to join the August 23 debate in Milwaukee.

This is a breaking story and will be updated.