Donald Trump announced on Fox & Friends Wednesday morning that he had no plans to attend the Republican presidential debate in Salt Lake City on Monday, according to the Washington Post. He noted that there have been enough debates and therefore he was planning on attending a pro-Israel group's event that night. On Wednesday, Fox 13 News confirmed that there would be no debate after phone conferences between the Fox News Channel and the Republican National Committee.
According to the news station, once Trump announced that he wouldn't attend, John Kasich declared that he would not be attending, which would have left only Ted Cruz, who can't debate himself.
"We had hoped to contrast Governor Kasich's positive inclusive approach to problem solving with Trump's campaign of division," Kasich chief strategist John Weaver said in an emailed statement to Fox 13. "If he changes his mind, we will be there."
Fox News sent this statement to The Root:
“On Feb. 20, the Republican National Committee announced that a GOP presidential primary debate would be held on March 21 in Salt Lake City. They offered that debate to Fox News Channel to host, provided there were enough candidates actively campaigning. This morning, Donald Trump announced he would not be participating in the debate. Shortly afterward, John Kasich's campaign announced that without Trump at the debate, Kasich would not participate. Ted Cruz has expressed a willingness to debate Trump or Kasich — or both. But obviously, there needs to be more than one participant. So the Salt Lake City debate is cancelled." -Michael Clemente, EVP, News, Fox News Channel
Read more at the Washington Post and Fox 13 News.