On Saturday, campaign manager Corey Lewandowski reportedly said Ms Kelly had a “rough couple of days after that last debate” and he “would hate to have her go through that again”.
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Trump says he plans to hold a simultaneous event Thursday night opposite the debate.
Meanwhile, MSNBC host Joe Scarborough reported on air that Fox News was reaching out to Trump.
Fox News Chairman Roger Ailes has defended Megyn Kelly amid the criticism from Trump, saying she’ll “absolutely be on the debate stage”.
“I don’t like being taken advantage of”, he said in an interview on Fox, signalling he was not boycotting the highly-rated network completely.
At the very least, the high-profile debate feud serves as a major distraction in the Republican contest just six days before Iowa voters cast the first votes in the 2016 primary contest.
Noah began by looking back at the inciting incident between Trump and Kelly, during the first GOP debate last August when the Fox moderator asked him if his history of making disparaging comments about women befits a potential president.
“We can’t give in to terrorizations towards any of our employees”, Fox said in a statement.
Trump’s campaign also sent out a press release Wednesday confirming the candidate would attend a rally at Drake University in Des Moines to benefit unnamed veterans organizations.
Trump’s Republican rivals quickly criticized him for opting out of the debate.
“Would you say that right now that Donald Trump is a person who can let petty things – and that’s what I think this is all about – petty things influence him to the extent to that he doesn’t do what maybe he should do?”
“I’m not a fan of Megyn Kelly, I think she’s a third-rate reporter”, Trump told reporters on Tuesday.
The event marked the continued shift in tone from Cruz, who has launched blistering attacks on Trump in recent weeks. By Tuesday we should have a much better idea of whether his strategy can work.
Last year Mr Trump suggested Kelly was tough on him during a debate because she was menstruating.
“He apparently is not going to come to the debate, although I’ve got a $20 bet he’ll show up”, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush said at a town hall meeting in response to a question.
Pat Wiltfang (59), of Grinnell, Iowa, said she is pleased Mr. Trump made a decision to pull out.
Trump’s debate boycott tests whether any word or action by the billionaire can dent his support among a core of conservative voters who want a change in Washington.
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Trump’s absence was likely to turn attention to Cruz, a firebrand conservative disdained by many in his party, and Rubio, who is hoping a third-place finish in Iowa could help him establish himself as the choice of more traditional Republicans.
