Priebus: Trump ‘probably made the right decision’ not to go to debate

Former Trump White House chief of staff Reince Priebus said following the first GOP debate Wednesday that former President Trump “probably made the right decision” not to attend the debate.

“Unfortunately, I also think — and it’s a little harsh to say and I didn’t want it this way — I wanted Donald Trump to be here, but I think he probably made the right decision after seeing tonight,” Priebus told Fox News host Sean Hannity in the spin room.

Pressed by Hannity on why he believed Trump benefited from being absent on the stage, Priebus said, “Because I think it looked a little bit as an undercard debate tonight, and I think that not having the prized fighter — I think not having Donald Trump on that stage took down the temperature a little bit, made it a little less, I think, attractive and I think that — I think that he probably made the right decision.”

But the former Trump White House chief of staff believed Trump’s absence also benefited the candidates, explaining that it gave the contenders the opportunity to introduce themselves to voters. 

Trump snubbed Fox News and the Republican National Committee by not attending the first GOP debate in Milwaukee, instead releasing a pre-recorded interview he did with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson as counterprogramming. 

The former president has pointed to his commanding lead in the GOP primary polls as reason why he skipped the first debate.