Former President Donald Trump is “cowardly” for not agreeing to participate in the Republican presidential primary debates, according to British broadcaster Piers Morgan.
Morgan, serving as the temporary host of Tonight, challenged Trump to “face the debate music” during an interview with ex-Trump aide Kellyanne Conway. Morgan argued that the ex-president could lose his status as the clear 2024 GOP front-runner if he does not take part.
While Trump has not explicitly said that he will sit out all of the primary debates, he has expressed his reluctance to participate, bemoaning that debates were being scheduled without his “approval” in a Truth Social post in April.
Conway praised Trump by arguing that his candidacy thrives with “more competition,” urging her former boss to show up to debate the crowded field of Republican 2024 candidates despite having “very little to gain.”
Morgan enthusiastically agreed with her suggestion, before personally appealing to the former president and asserting that he was uncharacteristically displaying cowardice by not readily agreeing to the debates.
“Donald Trump is many things, but in all the time I’ve known him I’ve never known him to duck a challenge or be a coward,” said Morgan. “So, if you’re watching, Donald, come on!”
Conway objected to Morgan’s characterization, insisting that Trump was “not being a coward at all” and was acting like “a front-runner” instead.
“No, it’s cowardly,” Morgan responded after scoffing. “Get on that stage and show us what you’re made of! If you want to be president again, you got to come out and face the debate music, haven’t you? Come on, Donald. You know you want to secretly.”
Morgan went on to say that he did not understand Trump’s reluctance, because he was “very good at” debates. “[Trump] remains the biggest star out there,” Morgan said. “But he has to turn up. Otherwise, your star can quickly wane.”
Trump campaign adviser Jason Miller told The Hill on Tuesday that he is “not expecting” the ex-president to participate in the debates, saying that Trump “has indicated that he’s unlikely to participate.”
Morgan is not alone in suggesting that Trump is cowardly for potentially skipping the debates. During a Fox News interview on Monday, New Hampshire Republican Governor Chris Sununu called the former president a “wimp” for not agreeing to debate.
“Former President Trump, the tough guy?” Sununu said while grinning. “The guy that says he’s gonna fight for America. But he’s not willing to stand up, he’s gonna wimp out? Wimp out and not get on that debate stage?”
Trump has publicly indicated that he is likely to refuse to take part in at least one debate. The ex-president suggested last month that he would sit out the first debate hosted by Fox News, in response to the network supposedly not covering him enough while giving airtime to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, his bitter 2024 rival.