Donald who? Fox barely mentions Trump in first half of debate until 10-minute indictment discussion

By DAVID BAUDER
AP Media Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump was barely mentioned in the Fox News Channel debate that he skipped until halfway through. That’s when moderator Bret Baier said he wanted to talk about “the elephant not in the room” — the former president and his four criminal indictments. The topic triggered some of the more electric moments at Wednesday night’s Republican presidential debate in Milwaukee, with boos raining down on Chris Christie, moderators scolding Ron DeSantis, and Mike Pence pleading to be heard. It was a delicate topic for both Fox News and the candidates. Ratings for the first debate of the 2024 presidential nominating season are expected Thursday afternoon.