Hutchinson says he will prosecute Trump on debate stage ‘whether he’s there or not’
by Tara Suter - 08/19/23 12:48 PM ET
GOP presidential candidate and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson said he plans to be “a prosecutor” of former President Trump at the upcoming Republican primary debate, even if Trump chooses not to show up.
“I’m not going to defend Donald Trump — I will be a prosecutor,” he said in an interview with MSNBC. “I will be telling the truth on Donald Trump, and whether he’s there or not, he will be a focal point of issue.”
His comments come after it was reported on Friday that Trump planned to miss the debate and instead sit for an interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson. Rumors of him skipping the debate have been circling for weeks.
Hutchinson argued that the debate will be the place for Republicans to present an alternative to the former president, the current GOP frontrunner in the primary race. He criticized his fellow candidates for their apparent deference to Trump.
“Some of the candidates will be defending Donald Trump,” he said. “I’ll certainly be on the side of telling the truth. But that’s a defining moment: who’s going to be promising pardons.”
“I don’t think that’s appropriate for a campaign. Others do,” Hutchinson added. “So this is a critical time for us.”
While the former governor has yet to qualify for the debate next week in Milwaukee, he voiced optimism that he would meet the criteria ahead of the Aug. 21 deadline.
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https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4160130-hutchinson-says-he-will-prosecute-trump-on-debate-stage/
