Donald Trump will not be skipping a second debate in a row.
After finishing second in Iowa on Monday only days after skipping Fox News’ debate in Des Moines, Trump told “Morning Joe” Wednesday that he will attend Saturday’s debate in New Hampshire hosted by ABC and IJ Review.
“Yes, I will,” Trump told Cokie Roberts. “We had a debate, a lot of people said that may have caused me to go down a couple of points … I might have been hurt a little bit by the debates, by not being at the debates.”
That confirmation comes less than 24 hours after Trump admitted that his missing out on the Iowa debate could have cost him victory in the Hawkeye State, which Sen. Ted Cruz ended up winning.
“That could’ve been with the debate,” Trump told reporters during a rally in Milford, N.H. “I think some people were disappointed that I didn’t go into the debate.”
The real estate mogul also lamented the fact that he is self-funding his campaign, expanding on a tweet he blasted out Tuesday morning in which he said it wasn’t “worth it” with voters themselves.
“I’ve turned down tens of millions of dollars from friends of mine that want to give,” Trump said, pointing to the $6 million he raised for veterans last week. “I’ve got these people giving millions of dollars. I would be the greatest fundraiser in the history of politics if I was let loose … I don’t think I don’t get any credit for [self-funding].”
“Look, I don’t mind taking in $200-300 million. You know, [Jeb] Bush took in $128 million — that’s peanuts compared to what I’d raise. I’d get guys to put up so much money,” Trump continued. “I would have that number beaten by five times if I wanted.”
However, Trump said he will stick to his initial plan to self-fund his campaign.
