This week, political commentator Tucker Carlson is set to host a forum in Iowa featuring potential 2024 presidential candidates. However, the front-runner of the pack, former President Donald Trump, has chosen not to attend.

During the Family Leadership Summit in Des Moines on Friday, Carlson is scheduled to interview six presidential hopefuls. Among those confirmed are Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida, former Vice President Mike Pence, Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, and former governors Nikki Haley and Asa Hutchinson. However, notably absent from the list is Donald Trump, and event organizer Bob Vander Plaats confirmed on Tuesday that the former president does not plan to attend.

Vander Plaats took to Twitter to announce, “I learned last night that @realDonaldTrump will NOT attend our Leadership Summit this Friday. Thus, our lineup is set.”

Vander Plaats has been openly critical of Trump, expressing concerns about his focus on the 2020 election and his stance on abortion, which he believes has alienated the voter base.

Vander Plaats had previously criticized Trump’s response to a pro-life question during a CNN town hall, stating in an interview with NewsNation in May, “That’s why I think the Iowa caucus door has flung wide open for people to take a look at who should be our nominee.”

Despite Trump’s absence at the forum, he is expected to appear at another event over the weekend, the Turning Point Action conference in Florida, where Carlson is also scheduled to attend. It should be noted, however, that Trump and Carlson will deliver separate speeches and will not engage in a conversation.

Responding to Trump skipping the candidate forum, campaign spokesman Steven Cheung said, “President Trump was in Iowa last week and will be back next week. Unfortunately, there is a scheduling conflict, and the President will be in Florida this weekend headlining the premier national young voter conference with Turning Point Action conference while DeSantis is nowhere to be found.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)