Coward.... Oh, but he has to be arrested first...

Mike Pence thinks Trump might still make it to the first debate

But the former president posted later Sunday on social media that because of his enormous lead in the primary polls, he wouldn’t attend.

By KELLY GARRITY

Former President Donald Trump has indicated that he intends to skip the first Republican presidential primary debate on Wednesday. But his former-running-mate-turned-primary-opponent thinks he might still make it to Milwaukee.

“I served alongside the president for a long time. And one thing I realized about him, it’s not over till it’s over,” former Vice President Mike Pence said Sunday during an interview on ABC’s “This Week.”

Pence indicated he thought it would be best for all concerned if Trump showed up to Wednesday’s debate in Wisconsin.

“I think every one of us that have qualified for that debate stage ought to be on the stage, be willing to square off, answer the tough questions, and also draw a bright-line contrast,” Pence said Sunday.

Trump, however, said later in the day that wouldn’t be the case, pointing to his lead in GOP primary polling as he stated in all caps on Truth Social: “I WILL THEREFORE NOT BE DOING THE DEBATES!”

According to The New York Times, the former president has other plans: an online interview with the former Fox News host Tucker Carlson. The potential interview with Carlson, who left his prime-time slot on Fox abruptly amid rumors of tension between the host and Fox leadership, would be a slap in the face to the network once lauded by Trump.

Other candidates aren’t too happy with Trump, either. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who has tried to goad the former president onto the debate stage, called Trump a “certified loser, verified coward” in a post on X following the Times report that the former president would be absent from the first debate.