4 highlights from Trump's interview with Tucker Carlson

Trump on why he is not at the debate: Fox News 'isn't particularly friendly to me' 

Carlson began the interview by asking Trump, "Why aren't you at the Fox News debate tonight?" Trump defended his absence from the event by pointing to his poll numbers, a desire not to be "harassed" by people he deemed unworthy of holding the office, and the fact that it was hosted by "a network that isn't particularly friendly to me." 

The former president envisioned the debate as "all these people screaming at me, shouting questions at me, all of which I love answering, I love doing." He determined that "it doesn't make sense" to attend the debate and continued to take swipes at Fox News, insinuating that the network does not have "a lot of credibility."

Trump mentioned Carlson's dismissal from the network earlier this year as he proclaimed, "You know that perhaps better than anybody." He decried Fox News' "terrible move," recalling that Carlson was "No. 1 on television."

The former president also expressed confidence that "we'll get bigger ratings using this crazy forum that you're using than probably … the debate, our competition."