Former President Donald Trump will skip next week’s first Republican presidential debate in Milwaukee and instead sit for an interview with Tucker Carlson, The New York Times reported Friday.

The newspaper cited multiple people who have been briefed on the matter.

Trump has said for months he was considering sitting out the debate and previously suggested he might participate in an alternate event.

The Trump campaign did not respond to an email from Spectrum News on Friday, but the former president indicated in a post on his Truth Social platform Thursday night that he was unlikely to participate in the debate.

“As everyone is aware, my Poll numbers, over a ‘wonderful’ field of Republican candidates, are extraordinary,” Trump wrote. “In fact, I am leading the runner up, whoever that may now be, by more than 50 Points. Reagan didn’t do it, and neither did others. People know my Record, one of the BEST EVER, so why would I Debate?”

While Trump exaggerated his poll numbers — recent national surveys have him leading anywhere from 37 to 45 percentage points — he does hold a commanding advantage over the field despite being indicted for the fourth time in five months earlier this week.

At least seven other candidates have met the Republican National Committee’s fundraising and polling benchmarks to qualify for the debate: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, entrepreneur and political newcomer Vivek Ramaswamy, former Vice President Mike Pence, former Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, U.S. Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum.

Miami Mayor Francis Suarez’s campaign said Friday he also has qualified. But senior advisers with the RNC told The Associated Press that Suarez had not yet officially met the criteria.

Christie, Trump’s biggest critic among those who have qualified, called the former president, whom he once advised, a “certified loser, verified coward” for skipping the debate.

“Surprise, surprise… the guy who is out on bail from four jurisdictions and can’t defend his reprehensible conduct, is running scared and hiding from the debate stage,” Christie posted on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.

President Joe Biden's campaign argued in a statement that Trump is dodging the debate "because he knows Wisconsin is a state that illustrates his failed leadership." It pointed to his position on abortion and the now-abandoned $10 billion investment by electronics company Foxconn, which Trump once touted as “the eighth wonder of the world" because he said it would revive American manufacturing.

To qualify for the debate, which will be hosted by Fox News, candidates must reach 1% in three national polls or 1% in two national polls and two polls in early-voting states. In addition to collecting donations from 40,000 unique supporters, they must have at least 200 unique donors in 20 or more states or territories. 

Candidates have until 48 hours before the debate to qualify. They also must sign a pledge that they would support the eventual nominee if they don’t win the nomination, something Trump said he would not do.

Since being fired by Fox News in April, Carlson has posted monologues and interviews on X, dating back to when it was still Twitter.

Fox reportedly sent the former host a cease-and-desist letter in June demanding he stop posting the videos. Fox claimed the videos violate Carlson’s contract with the network, which it is still paying. But Carlson has continued to post segments, including interviews this week with presidential candidates Ramaswamy and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.