Republican presidential candidate and frontrunner, Donald Trump, said Wednesday night that he was "pushed away" from participating in the next GOP debate.
Trump, who withdrew from the contest, made the remarks on Fox News. He has been feuding with the network over what he says was mistreatment in the first GOP debate.
“I don’t like being taken advantage of…I'm not going to let our country be taken advantage of," Trump said. "I don’t think it’s really a bad personality trait,” adding that he is not walking away, but rather “was pushed away."
Trump said he will not forgive anchor Megyn Kelly, who moderated the debate and has drawn Trump's scorn after she questioned his treatment of women.
“It’s called an eye for an eye,” Trump said.
“When you are mistreated as we were with the Iran deal, our country should have walked,” Trump said comparing his dealings with Fox to the Obama Administration’s negotiations with Iran.
O’Reilly repeatedly encouraged Trump to attend. "You have 60 seconds right off the top to tell any of the moderators you're a pinhead, your questions are unfair and here is why and here is what I want to say. By walking away from it, you lose an opportunity to persuade people that you are a strong leader. That's my opinion,” he said.
Trump in turn promoted his counter event tomorrow night, also in Iowa, which he said will raise money for veterans' organizations.
“I’ll have much more than 60 seconds…and I can do some good,” the billionaire said. “I just don’t like being used,” Trump said, referring to the ratings of the debates.
Trump’s event tomorrow night will be held at Drake University beginning at the exact same time that the Fox News debate will kick off. The GOP frontrunner will be campaigning all weekend in Iowa, crisscrossing the state, ahead of the caucuses Monday night.
