Former President Donald Trump is expected to skip the second Republican primary debate, in California on Sept. 27, and will instead visit Detroit to deliver a speech in front of union workers amid a major auto strike, according to a senior adviser.
The move — which will likely draw criticism from some of his primary challengers, just as it did when he opted out of the first debate — comes as a work stoppage unfolds against the three largest motor vehicle manufacturers in the U.S. and offers Trump an opportunity to deliver a message to a key voting bloc in a pivotal battleground state, Michigan. (President Joe Biden has likewise emphasized his pro-union bona fides.)
Editor’s Note: See what his surrogates think about skipped debates.