Tucker Carlson to host GOP primary candidate forum with DeSantis, no Trump

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (FLV) – Former Fox News host and conservative commentator Tucker Carlson will host a forum featuring several GOP presidential primary contenders, brought on by Blaze Media.

Taking place in the early primary state of Iowa on Friday, the forum will showcase one-on-one discussions between Carlson and prominent GOP candidates, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy.

Notably, the frontrunner for the party’s nomination, former President Donald Trump, will not be in attendance.

A Trump campaign spokesperson told The Hill that the former president had a “scheduling conflict” and attacked DeSantis for his expected absence at an upcoming Turning Point Action conference.

“The President will be in Florida this weekend headlining the premier national young voter conference with Turning Point Action conference while DeSantis is nowhere to be found,” the spokesperson said.

The forum is set to be hosted just over a month before the first Republican National Committee’s first primary debate in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Trump is reportedly considering skipping that debate as well, but has yet to make a formal decision.

Gov. Ron DeSantis previously called on Trump to participate in the debates and said the former president is not “entitled to anything.”

“I think we should debate. I think the people want to hear it […] Nobody’s entitled to anything in this world. You’ve got to earn it,” DeSantis said.