Real estate mogul Donald Trump has pulled out of a Republican debate he agreed to moderate in Iowa later this month after most of the candidates turned down his invitations to participate, FOX News Channel reported Tuesday.
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum are the only candidates who agreed to participate in the Dec. 27 debate hosted by the conservative website Newsmax.
Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, Texas Gov. Rick Perry and Texas Rep. Ron Paul all said they would not attend.
In a statement provided to FOX News, Trump blamed the low attendance on the possibility that he may launch his own independent run for the White House.
Declaring that he was “not willing to give up my right to run as an independent candidate,” Trump said he would pull out of moderating the debate “so that there is no conflict of interest within the Republican Party.”
“The American people are embarrassed by the gridlock currently taking place in Washington,” Trump said in a statement. “I must leave all of my options open because, above all else, we must make America great again!”
While Romney and Perry had both attributed their decisions to skip the debate on their busy campaign schedules, Huntsman and Paul were openly dismissive of Trump’s role in the event.
“The presidency of the United States of America is beyond reality shows,” Huntsman told NBC in an interview. “So, you’ll have two or three people go on, and then Mr. Trump will weigh in after in terms of who he thinks he’ll want to support? This is about politics as show business.”
Paul’s campaign also said Trump’s selection as moderator “will contribute to an unwanted circus-like atmosphere.”
“The selection of a reality television personality to host a presidential debate that voters nationwide will be watching is beneath the office of the Presidency and flies in the face of that office’s history and dignity,” said Ron Paul 2012 National Campaign Chairman Jesse Benton in the statement.
Bachmann was the last to decline Trump’s invitation, blaming the low participation.
Despite the lack of interest in a Trump-moderated debate, the real estate mogul’s endorsement is coveted by several of the Republican contenders. Of the current candidates, Trump has met with Romney, Perry, Gingrich and Bachmann.
Trump had promised to announce an endorsement after the Newsmax debate, but reserved his right to run as an independent if he believes voters choose the wrong Republican candidate.