Fox News will not allow surrogates of former President Donald Trump into the spin room of Wednesday's GOP presidential debate, a highly unusual move that could be construed as retaliatory over Trump's decision to skip it.
Axios reported Monday night, citing a memo it says it obtained, that Fox has restricted the spin room to aides of candidates who are participating in the debate. Trump is the only candidate who qualified for the stage in Milwaukee who declined to be there.
Despite Trump's absence, aides and surrogates of his were expected to be in Milwaukee to take part in the post-debate promotion of their candidate. Now, per the memo, Trump's people will only be allowed into the spin room if they are guests of media organizations.
Spin rooms in the past have typically been open, with even opposition party candidates' surrogates invited in.
The Republican National Committee gave Fox News full control of the spin room, awarding the network the first two GOP debates.
Trump confirmed Sunday he would not be participating in "the debates," suggesting he is planning to skip next month's in Simi Valley, California, too.
Instead, Trump plans to sit down with Tucker Carlson, an interview that has already been recorded.