Former President Donald Trump "wouldn't mind" seeing third-party candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. end up on one of the future debate stages, but told Newsmax that RFK Jr. just does not have the poll numbers to qualify.
"I don't think he has to," Trump told Tuesday's "Prime News" guest host Corey Lewandowski, saying he would "like him to" participate, all the same. "I wouldn't mind.
"I don't think he has the polling numbers to get there," Trump added. "He's got to show that first of all, he needs 15%. He's not even close. I see numbers from 5 to 7, 8. He's doing very poorly, actually, and seems to be fading fast."
Kennedy was eliminated from Thursday night's debate in Atlanta after his campaign did not meet CNN's requirements concerning polling numbers and potential Electoral College votes.
According to CNN's rules, to qualify in the debate, the first in the 2024's presidential election cycle, candidates must have 15% support in four approved national polls. Kennedy only met that criteria in three polls.
Further, CNN requires candidates to be on ballots in enough states to win 270 Electoral College votes, but Kennedy's current totals show he would reach less than 100 votes.
The 90-minute debate is being moderated by CNN anchors Jake Tapper and Dana Bash, and will be held without a studio audience.
Kennedy's campaign has filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission after CNN confirmed last week he did not qualify for Thursday's night debate by the network's deadline, and has claimed all CNN staffers involved in the event are subject to "serious jail time."
"My exclusion by Presidents Biden and Trump from the debate is undemocratic, un-American, and cowardly," Kennedy said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Trump doubled down on comments he made during his rally in Philadelphia Saturday about Kennedy's political leanings.
"He's a very liberal guy, and conservatives have to understand how liberal he is," Trump told Lewandowski on Tuesday.
Trump labeled Kennedy as a "total fake" who is "more liberal than Joe Biden and all of these communists that work for him," but also said Saturday should be included in the CNN debate.
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Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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