Republican Presidential Debate Live Updates: Candidates Asked About Age Tests

"I Get the UFO Question?!" Christie Jokes

The last block of the debate ended with a light-hearted moment between moderator Martha MacCallum and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.

MacCallum was asking Christie about UFO encounters and transparency between government and the American people.

"Do you believe that the recent spike in UFO encounters..." moderator Martha MacCallum began asking Christie.

"I get the UFO question?!" Christie said. "Come on, man!"

Candidates Asked About Age Tests

Former Vice President Mike Pence was first to respond to a question about whether older candidates should be required to pass physical and mental acuity tests in order to become president.

Pence began his response with a joke, saying he believes everyone in Washington, D.C., should have to pass a mental acuity test.

He then said he believes the American people should be able to decide whether candidates are mentally and physically qualified in order to hold the office.

Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, the youngest candidate on the debate stage at 38, previously noted he believes all high school students in America should have to pass the same tests that people must pass in order to become U.S. citizens. Co-moderator Bret Baier mentioned that earlier comment when asking Ramaswamy if he believes candidates 75 and older should similarly need to pass a test in order to become president.

Ramaswamy said he believes American voters can tell the difference between a candidate who is and is not able to think for themselves. He suggested President Joe Biden, who is 80, is unable to do so and added he believes it is time for "someone of a different generation to lead this country forward."

Biden Campaign Ad Airs Ahead of Debate

What appears to be Joe Biden's first 2024 presidential campaign ad aired on Fox News moments ahead of the GOP debate.

The ad touts the president's economic record, explaining that national unemployment has reached record lows, manufacturing jobs are returning home and the U.S. is leading the world in clean energy.

The commercial ended with Biden saying, "It's never, ever been a good bet to bet against America, never."

Haley Slams Ramaswamy, "No Foreign Policy Experience"

Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley slammed entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy's lack of foreign policy experience while answering a question over potential future aid for Ukraine.

"You have no foreign policy experience, and it shows," Haley told Ramaswamy.

Ramaswamy was the only candidate who said outright that he objects to further U.S. support for Ukraine.

"I think that this is disastrous. We are protecting against an invasion across somebody else's border, when we should use those same military resources to prevent the invasion of our own southern border here in the United States," Ramaswamy said.

His campaign later tweeted a video of his response, adding: "I reject the consensus that 'winning' in Ukraine is a vital U.S. interest. Nearly the entire GOP field rails against Biden, but cut through the grandstanding & it turns out they're solidly with him on the most important foreign policy issue of our time. America First 2.0."

Haley said she would support additional funding for Ukraine and rejected Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' past suggestion that the Russia-Ukraine war is a "territorial dispute," which DeSantis also repeated onstage.

Did Fox News Ban Trump Staffers From Republican Debate?

A document appearing to ban former President Donald Trump's staffers from the first GOP presidential primary debate circulated on social media Wednesday night, but did not stop the three men from attending the event at Milwaukee's Fiserv Forum.

The flyer read that those three staffers were "not approved for entry//not valid credential."

However, it appeared that at least one of those staffers was allowed at the debate. Miller told Newsweek that he was inside the debate hall when it started, despite what the document said.

"Fox News' 'Never Trump' bias against President Trump apparently now extends to his supporters as well. It's tacky, it's petty, and it explains why their ratings are in the toilet. Watch President Trump's interview with Tucker Carlson on Twitter tonight at 8:55pm ET!" Miller wrote in a statement to Newsweek.

A Fox News spokesperson, however, wrote in a statement that this flyer was not produced by the company and was printed as a guide for candidate walk-throughs that took place on Tuesday, the day before the debate.

Seven Candidates Would Support Trump If Convicted

All but one candidate on the debate stage indicated they would still support former President Donald Trump, who has been indicted four times this year, should he be convicted and become the Republican Party's 2024 presidential nominee.

Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum all raised their hands quickly after the question was asked.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie all slowly raised their hands once they saw the first four candidates do so.

Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson was the only candidate who did not raise his hand. When asked to explain, Hutchinson said, "because there's an important issue we as a party need to face."

Hutchinson said he has previously said Trump should be disqualified over his actions on January 6, and that he will not support a candidate if they are convicted of a felony.

All candidates had to sign a pledge agreeing to support the eventual party nominee in order to participate in tonight's debate.

Ramaswamy Calls Climate Change a 'Hoax'

Young Americans for Freedom (YAF) used its first question to ask about policy surrounding climate change -- which it identified as the number one issue for young people, according to polling.

Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy called climate change a "hoax," saying, "I'm the only person on the stage who isn't bought and paid for, so I can say this."

President Joe Biden chimed in on X, saying, "climate change is real, by the way."

Nikki Haley Faces Abortion Question

Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley was asked whether she would support a federal abortion ban if she became president.

Haley began her response by saying she is "unapologetically pro-life," not because it's the Republican party line on the issue, but because her husband was adopted and she had difficulties with her own pregnancies.

Haley noted the issue is now in the hands of the American voters and questioned whether there would be enough support in the U.S. Congress to pass a ban. Doing so would require at least 60 senators and a majority of U.S. representatives to vote in favor, which Haley indicated is unlikely to happen anytime soon.

Instead, Haley urged agreement on banning late-term abortions, encouraging adoptions and making contraception available. She also voiced opposition to placing women in jail for getting abortions and said people should "stop demonizing the situation."

Shortly after Haley was asked about abortion on stage, her campaign tweeted: "We need to stop lying to the American people. Neither party has the votes in Congress to pass a full abortion ban or an abortion-on-demand bill. Let's work together to save as many babies and help as many moms as possible."

Pence, Christie Attack Ramaswamy

Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy is the subject of attacks so far this evening -- first by former Vice President Mike Pence then former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.

Pence called himself the "best prepared" candidate in the room to become president, saying now is "not the time for on-the-job training." He then added, "we don't need to bring in a rookie," attacking entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, which was met with boos.

Christie then aggressively added: "I've had enough already tonight of a guy who sounds like ChatGPT standing up here," and compared Ramaswamy as the "same type of amateur" as former President Barack Obama.

Oliver Anthony's Song Launches Debate

The first question of the debate went to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Debate co-moderator Martha MacCallum began the question by addressing "Bidenomics," President Joe Biden's economics strategy. She then mentioned singer Oliver Anthony's hit song "Rich Man North of Richmond," which has become popular among conservatives over the last several weeks for the economic issues it raises.

When asked why he believes the song resonates with so many Americans, DeSantis said America "is in decline," but that its decline is "not inevitable" but "a choice."

DeSantis then said the U.S. needs to "send Biden back to the basement" and that the U.S. "cannot succeed" on its current path. DeSantis then briefly slammed Biden's son, Hunter Biden, and added that he thinks Bidenomics needs to be "reversed."

First 2024 GOP Debate Now Underway

The first Republican presidential debate of the 2024 election season is now underway inside Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who leads among debate participants in polling averages, is at the center of the stage alongside entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy. All other candidates have been placed along the stage according to where they stand in the polls.

Watch: Trump, Tucker Carlson Interview

Former President Donald Trump's sit-down interview with Tucker Carlson has just been released.

The clip, titled, "Debate Night With Donald J Trump" is 46 minutes long and posted on X, formerly Twitter.

Watch here:

How to Watch 2024 GOP Debate

The first Republican debate of the 2024 presidential primary season begins in 40 minutes from inside the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Fox News will be hosting the debate, which is expected to last about two hours, in partnership with Young America's Foundation and Rumble. Fox News hosts Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum will moderate.

Fox News Channel and Fox Business will air the debate at 9 p.m. ET, Fox News Digital will stream online. Viewers without cable can watch on Rumble or by signing up for a Fox Nation subscription.

How Debate Will Be Organized

The eight candidates will not be invited to deliver opening statements during tonight's debate, according to RNC guidelines reviewed by The New York Times. However, each candidate will have 45 seconds at the end of the debate to deliver closing remarks, according to ABC News.

The candidates will appear on the debate stage in an order determined by their success in the polls, ABC News reported. This layout will place Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy in the center of the stage as the candidates with the highest polling averages.

During the debate, each candidate is expected to have one minute to respond to questions. The moderators will allow 30 seconds for follow-ups.

Little is known about what questions candidates will face, though it is expected that former President Donald Trump's criminal indictments will come up. Fox News host Martha MacCallum, who is co-hosting tonight's debate with Fox News' Bret Baier, told TVNewser the indictments "will be addressed." Though Trump was invited to participate in the debate, he has chosen to skip it.

MacCallum has also identified abortion and America's support for Ukraine as additional topics that will arise during the debate.

Packed Room Inside Milwaukee's Fiserv Forum

The stage is set and the room is packed at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The eight candidates who qualified for tonight's debate take the stage in just about an hour and a half.

Fox News anchors Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum will press the White House hopefuls in the two hour forum. It's a critical evening, not just because it's the first primary debate, but also an opportunity for lesser known candidates to share their views and vision to Americans-- and without frontrunner Donald Trump present.

How Did Candidates Qualify?

The Republican candidates participating in tonight's 2024 presidential primary debate were required to meet a set of criteria outlined by the Republican National Committee (RNC) in order to reach the debate stage. A total of eight candidates who qualified have agreed to participate in the debate.

Each candidate was required to be eligible to run for president and must have already launched their campaign. Candidates were also required to have filed Statement of Candidacy and Statement of Organization forms with the Federal Election Commission. The Statement of Candidacy forms must identify them as Republican presidential candidates.

All participants have reached 1% in either three national polls or in two national polls and two state polls. The state polls must have been conducted in two different early states from a list provided by the RNC. These polling results had to come at least 48 hours before the debate begins, but the polls must also have been conducted on or since July 1 in order to qualify.

The candidates were also required to meet certain fundraising criteria. Each debater needed to have at least 40,000 unique donors, with at least 200 per state in at least 20 states or territories. This donor data had to be submitted to the RNC at least 48 hours before the debate's scheduled start time.

The RNC also required participating candidates to sign a pledge vowing to support whoever becomes the party's official presidential nominee next year. Debaters also agreed they will not participate in any debate that's not authorized by the RNC for the rest of the 2024 election season.

Donald Trump Jr. Attends Debate

Donald Trump Jr., was spotted outside Milwaukee's Fiserv Forum to provide pre-debate commentary alongside former Trump adviser Kimberly Guilfoyle. The Daily Caller reported earlier this week that Trump Jr. and Guilfoyle will both be attending the debate.

The duo live-streamed interviews with people who were in town to watch the event, like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia. Greene is expected to provide post-debate commentary of her own with Rep. Matt Gaetz later Wednesday.

In the hours before the debate began, a small group of the former president's supporters gathered outside of Fiserv Forum. Many were in Trump gear and holding signs with negative depictions of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

'Dark Brandon' Ads Appear on Fox Website

President Joe Biden's re-election campaign purchased ads to be displayed on Fox News' website ahead of tonight's GOP debate.

The ads, which feature the White House's "Dark Brandon" character, can be seen on the network's website, directly above debate advertisements.

The images, attributed to the Biden Victory Fund, depict a blue sketch of a smiling Biden with red laser beams coming out of his eyes. They read, "Get real, Jack. I'm bringing Roe back."

The ad was also seen on billboards in Milwaukee.

A Biden campaign spokesperson told The Hill the ads are "highlighting President Biden's commitment to fighting a national abortion ban and codify Roe." Additional Biden campaign ads are appearing on billboards in Milwaukee throughout the day, addressing issues such as prescription drug prices, Social Security and tax cuts for the wealthy, according to People.

Rob Flaherty, Biden's deputy campaign manager, told People the "Dark Brandon" ad shows the president is "not writing off any voters" and "speaks to the sort of strided, swaggy Dark Brandon personality of, 'Yeah, we're going to go on Fox News and talk about protecting and restoring Roe.'"

Trump-Carlson Interview Preview Released

A teaser of former President Donald Trump's sit-down interview with Tucker Carlson has been released– featuring a wide range of questions and Trump predicting another effort to steal the election from him.

The one minute clip features Carlson asking Trump about why he isn't at the debate, the candidates he believes shouldn't be running for president, what happened between he and former Vice President Mike Pence, if the U.S. is headed toward civil war and Jeffrey Epstein's death.

"You're saying they stole it [the 2020 election] from you last time, why wouldn't they do the same this time?" Tucker asks Trump.

"Oh well they're trying... they're going to be trying," Trump answered.

Trump also called Biden the "worst" president in U.S. history, saying, "I don't think he's going to make it to the gate, but you know, you never know."

The interview recorded in Bedminster airs at 8:55 p.m. ET on X.

Who's Leading in the Polls?

Former President Donald Trump has a firm polling lead over the field of 2024 GOP presidential candidates. Trump has consistently held a double-digit lead over potential and confirmed candidates since he became the first Republican to launch a 2024 presidential campaign last fall.

Among the candidates participating in the first GOP primary debate, polling averages compiled by FiveThirtyEight suggest Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has a narrowing lead over Vivek Ramaswamy. DeSantis was for months considered to be Trump's top rival for their party's presidential nomination, but his second-place polling position grew weaker after his official campaign announcement in May. Even so, polling averages suggest DeSantis still leads Ramaswamy with about 14.5% of Republican voter support, compared with Ramaswamy's 8.9% average.

Aside from Trump's reign over the polls and DeSantis' regular second-place position, the other candidates who are participating in tonight's debate tend to poll at single digits. FiveThirtyEight's polling averages suggests former Vice President Mike Pence is in fourth place with 4.2% of the vote. South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott and former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley have 3.5% and 3.4% polling averages, respectfully, and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie follows at 3.3%.

Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum each have polling averages below 1%.

Who Is Participating?

Eight presidential candidates met the Republican National Committee's (RNC) debate qualification criteria and agreed to participate, party officials announced earlier this week.

The RNC said it is "excited to showcase our diverse candidate field and the conservative vision to beat Joe Biden on the debate stage Wednesday night."

These are the candidates who will be participating:

Doug Burgum

Doug Burgum, 67, is currently serving as the governor of North Dakota. He was first elected to lead his state in 2016 and won re-election in 2020 with 69.2% of the vote. Before entering politics, Burgum founded a software company, called Great Plains Software, in the 1980s. He went on to work as a senior vice president at Microsoft after selling his company to the tech giant.

Burgum launched his 2024 presidential campaign in June with an emphasis on his "small town values." His campaign website identifies his "top priorities" as the economy, energy and national security.

Chris Christie

Chris Christie, 60, is a former two-term governor of New Jersey. He was first elected to lead his state in 2009 and was re-elected in 2013 with 60.3% of the vote. He previously served as the state's attorney general.

Once a supporter of Donald Trump, Christie is now one of the former president's most vocal Republican critics. During his presidential campaign launch in June, Christie called Trump "self-serving" and a "mirror hog," and has continued criticizing Trump in the weeks since. Christie's campaign website says he is running "because the truth matters."

Ron DeSantis

Ron DeSantis, 44, is currently serving as the governor of Florida. He was first elected to lead his state in 2018 and won re-election last year with 59.4% of the vote. DeSantis was previously elected three times to represent Florida's 6th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives and served in the U.S. Navy between 2004 and 2010.

DeSantis launched his presidential campaign with a Twitter Spaces event in May. He is often in second place behind Trump in GOP primary polls. DeSantis wrote earlier this week on X, formerly Twitter, that he will "bring accountability" if elected president: "I will fire the FBI Director. I will clean house at the Justice Department. I will fire bureaucrats who abuse their power. And I will never allow radical groups like BLM to burn down our cities."

Nikki Haley

Nikki Haley, 51, served as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations during Trump's administration. She previously worked as a state legislator in South Carolina before she was elected to become the state's first Indian-American woman governor.

Haley launched her presidential campaign in February, becoming Trump's first primary challenger. Haley has taken a hard stance on China and Russia throughout her campaign. She has said she believes it's "time for a new generation of leadership to rediscover fiscal responsibility, secure our border, our pride and our purpose."

Asa Hutchinson

Asa Hutchinson, 72, served as a two-term governor in Arkansas before he was termed out and left office earlier this year. He previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives before former President George W. Bush appointed him to lead the Drug Enforcement Administration. Hutchinson later served as the Department of Homeland Security's undersecretary of homeland security for border protection under Bush.

Hutchinson joined the 2024 GOP candidate field in April. Running as "America's consistent conservative," Hutchinson painted his campaign as a "battle" for "the future of our country and the soul of our party."

Mike Pence

Mike Pence, 64, served as vice president in Trump's administration. He served as the governor of Indiana for one term before leaving his post for the White House. Before becoming governor, Pence represented Indiana in the U.S. House of Representatives between 2001 and 2013.

Pence launched his presidential campaign in June with criticisms aimed at Trump's denials of the 2020 presidential election results. Pence has said he intends to "bring this country back" and vowed to "restore a threshold of civility in public life."

Vivek Ramaswamy

Vivek Ramaswamy, 38, will be the youngest candidate to participate in the debate and the only one without prior experience in politics. An entrepreneur from Ohio, Ramaswamy worked at a hedge fund before launching Roivant Sciences, a biotech company and, later, the asset management firm Strive.

Ramaswamy launched his presidential campaign in February. He explained in a Wall Street Journal editorial that he decided to run because the U.S. "has lost sight of the ideals that made it great—freedom and merit most among them." Ramaswamy has described his bid for president as not "just a political campaign" but as "a cultural movement to create a new American dream for the next generation."

Tim Scott

Tim Scott, 57, is currently serving as South Carolina's junior Senator. He was first elected to the position in 2012 and most recently won re-election last year with 62.9% of the vote. Scott previously served as a state legislator and in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Scott launched his presidential campaign in May with a declaration that his party will in 2024 need to make a choice between "grievance and greatness." While on the campaign trail, Scott has said he is pushing for "commonsense" solutions. His campaign website says he aspires to "restore hope," "create opportunities" and "protect America."

Biden Plans to Try and Watch Debate

President Joe Biden says he plans to watch tonight's debate as he vacations in South Lake Tahoe with his family.

"I'm going to try to see... get as much as I can, yes," Biden said, according to the White House pool.

When asked about his expectations, he answered, "I have none."

Burgum to Debate After Injury

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum will still participate in tonight's GOP presidential primary debate despite suffering an injury while playing basketball on Tuesday.

The injury, which CNN reported was an Achilles tear, has left Burgum on crutches. Though it was initially unclear if Burgum would be able to participate with the injury, Fox News reported earlier Wednesday that he planned to be on the debate stage.

Burgum seemed to confirm this in a post on X, formerly Twitter, shortly after 5 p.m. ET. The post, which read, "I'm in," included a photo of Burgum walking toward the debate stage while on crutches.

Trump, Tucker Interview to Air as Debate Begins

The 2024 Republican presidential frontrunner, Former President Donald Trump, will be obviously absent from tonight's debate stage. Instead, he sat down with Tucker Carlson for an interview set to air five minutes before the Fox News debate.

"Whatever you think of Trump, he is... as of tonight... the indisputable far and away frontrunner in the Republican race," Carlson said in a video posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

"We think voters have an interest in hearing what he thinks. So when Trump approached us about having a conversation for a far larger audience than he'd receive on cable news, we happily accepted."

Earlier today, Trump teased the interview on Truth Social, saying: "'SPARKS WILL FLY.' ENJOY!"

The former president has resisted the idea of participating in debates this campaign cycle for months– and first suggested last month a potential interview with Carlson instead of debating his fellow GOP candidates.

Trump often expresses frustration with Fox News, questioning the network's coverage of other candidates and accusing it of not covering events at which he has appeared. He has cited his lead in the polls and his campaign's high visibility as his reasons for not participating in tonight's debate.

Trump's interview with Tucker Carlson drops tonight at 8:55 p.m. ET on X.