Donald Trump said he would refuse to sign a Republican National Committee loyalty pledge required by any candidate wishing to participate in the party's first primary debate.
He made the comments to Eric Bolling during an appearance on the Maga-friendly television network Newsmax, which had to end the interview with an awkward disclaimer reminding viewers that it accepts the results of the 2020 election.
“I wouldn’t sign the pledge. Why would I sign a pledge if there are people on there that I wouldn’t have. I wouldn’t have certain people as somebody that I would endorse,” Mr Trump said, refusing to specify which of the candidates he would not endorse.
The pledge requires signatories to agree to support whichever candidate becomes the Republican party nominee in 2024, according to The Hill.
Mr Trump has said on several occasions that he may skip the first debate, which is scheduled for 23 August in Milwaukee. He has questioned why he should bother with the debate since he is the clear frontrunner, suggesting it would simply open opportunities for the other candidates to attack him an an attempt to boost their own polling.
He told Newsmax that he would announce next week if he will participate.
"I've already decided, and I'll be announcing something next week," Mr Trump said. "I haven't totally ruled it out."
Mr Trump similarly refused to commit to backing the eventual Republican candidate during his campaign in 2015. During a primary debate that year, the candidates were asked to raise their hands if they would back the nominee. Mr Trump was the only candidate to not raise his hand.
Trump taking part in a Pro-Am tournament at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, on Thursday— (EPA)
The former president eventually relented and signed a loyalty pledge later that year.
Mr Trump is not the first one to balk at the requirement; his opponent, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, told CNN last month that he would take the pledge "just as seriously as Donald Trump took it in 2016."
At the end of the segment Newsmax was forced to issue a disclaimer reminding viewers that they were not contesting the results of the 2020 elections.
"Alright folks," Mr Bolling said. "Now, just as a note: Newsmax has accepted the election results as legal and final."
Newsmax began shying away from commenters who pushed 2020 election conspiracy theories after the company was sued by Dominion Voting Systems for defamation. The network ultimately settled the lawsuit and began pulling the plug on interviews with election deniers like MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell.
Mr Trump still insists, without evidence, that the election was stolen.
