Trump to skip Republican debate

As Donald Trump's GOP challengers for the Republican presidential nomination prepare for their first debate on Wednesday without him, the former president is preparing to turn himself in at the Fulton County jail in Atlanta by noon Friday.

Trump confirmed Sunday that he will skip Wednesday's first Republican presidential primary debate — and others as well.

Meanwhile, law enforcement authorities in Atlanta said Trump won't appear at the jail earlier than Thursday over his fourth indictment, for alleged election meddling in Georgia. That would be just hours after the GOP debate.

On Monday, Trump's lawyers reached an agreement with Georgia authorities to set a $200,000 bond, but he needs to provide only $20,000 to remain free before his trial on racketeering and other charges for allegedly trying to steal the 2020 election in Georgia.

Several co-defendants in the case have also agreed to terms of their bond agreements with the district attorney's office on Monday.

Trump is expected to be fingerprinted and have a mug shot taken, a law enforcement source told CNN.

On Sunday, a new CBS News national poll showed Trump with a 46-percentage point lead over his nearest rival, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

Trump announced that, as expected, he would skip the debate in Milwaukee, Wisconsin – and other debates. "The public knows who I am & what a successful Presidency I had," Trump wrote on Truth Social, before adding in capital letters, "I will therefore not be doing the debates!"

His spokesman didn't say if he plans to boycott every primary debate or just those currently scheduled.

Instead of showing up at the Fox News debate, Trump is planning to appear with Tucker Carlson, the former Fox prime-time host who helped amplify his claims of election fraud, in an interview set to air on Wednesday on the social network X, formerly known as Twitter. The New York Times reported Saturday the interview has already been taped.

Former Maryland governor Larry Hogan, a frequent GOP critic of the ex-president, said on CNN's State of the Union on Sunday that Trump counter programming the debate with Carlson is "typical Trump''.

"He wants to suck all the oxygen out of the room. He wants all the attention to be on him and not on the other candidates," Hogan said. "And, to some extent, he will probably have some success with that."

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis released her 41-count, 98-page indictment of 19 people who allegedly conspired to subvert the 2020 presidential election in that state.

Trump and 18 others were charged by Willis on Aug 14 in a 41-count indictment under racketeering laws with being the kingpin of an alleged "criminal enterprise" involving 18 others to reverse President Joe Biden's win in Georgia, a swing state that will again be critical in 2024. Many of those co-defendants are expected to also turn themselves in soon.

Trump has already been charged in two federal probes — one into his election-stealing effort and the other into his mishandling of classified documents at his Florida resort after he left office. Trump, who denies all wrongdoing, is also awaiting trial in Manhattan in a case arising from a hush-money payment to an adult film actress in 2016.

If Trump were to win the presidency against President Joe Biden, he could freeze federal criminal cases against him or even pardon himself. That wouldn't apply to the Georgia and Manhattan prosecutions because they are state cases, though Trump is seeking to move the Georgia case to federal court.

When Trump arrives at the Fulton County jail for processing, he is expected to spend no more than a few hours inside the facility. The other defendants in the election interference case — which include Trump's former chief of staff Mark Meadows and his one-time personal attorney Rudy Giuliani — will likely encounter a straightforward fingerprinting and mugshot process, according to former Georgia prosecutor Chris Timmons.

"Unless somebody tells me differently, we are following our normal practices, and so [it] doesn't matter your status, we got mugshots ready for you," Fulton County Sheriff Pat Labat said earlier this month about the planned processing.

The defendants are then likely to be released on their signatures, known as an "own bond", meaning they will likely not have to put down money or property given their relatively low flight risk, Timmons said.

Last month, the US Justice Department announced an investigation into the conditions at the jail.

"The recent allegations of filthy housing teeming with insects, rampant violence resulting in death and injuries, and officers using excessive force are cause for grave concern and warrant a thorough investigation," said Ryan Buchanan, US attorney for the Northern District of Georgia.

ABC News reported that last year 15 inmates died inside the jail; this year, seven have died.