ORLANDO, Fla. — Donald Trump played it safe Friday at the 2015 Sunshine Summit, focusing his remarks on immigration and foreign policy instead of continuing his criticism of Ben Carson, and cancelling a press conference shortly after leaving the stage.
The Republican presidential hopeful made no mention of Carson during his speech despite releasing an ad targeting the retired neurosurgeon just hours prior. Within minutes of concluding his remarks and leaving the stage, Trump’s campaign notified a crowded room of reporters he would no longer be available for a Q&A.
Trump’s campaign did not provide a reason for the last-minute cancellation, but the GOP candidate took the stage Friday less than an hour after news broke of a series of terror attacks in Paris, France.
Carson, a retired neurosurgeon who’s surpassed Trump as the GOP front-runner both nationally and in key early primary states, was scheduled to speak at the same gathering of Florida Republicans immediately after Trump.
Due to the two candidates back-to-back remarks, dozens of reporters missed several minutes of Carson’s speech while waiting for Trump to arrive in the briefing room.
