Trump Wins! CNBC Agrees to Two Hour Debate

Donald Trump holds up a cap that he signed for a supporter during a rally at the Expo Hall
Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images

CNBC agrees it will limit its Republican presidential debate to two hours, after Donald Trump and Ben Carson threatened to boycott if it ran longer.

“Fantastic news for all, especially the millions of people who will be watching!” Trump wrote on Twitter announcing the news this morning.

Yesterday, Carson and Trump informed CNBC in a letter that the length of the debate should be restricted.

“Neither Mr. Trump or Dr. Carson will participate in your debate if it is longer than 120 minutes including commercials and does not include opening and closing statements,” the letter read.

While the last debate held by CNN was substantive, candidates grew weary after standing on the stage for three hours. Trump complained that CNN was “milking” the length of the debate so they could sell more ads.

“I think it’s unfair to the viewers because it’s too much, it’s too much to watch and they are doing it because they want to make more money,” he told Fox News host Greta Van Susteren in an interview last night.

The CNN Democratic debate lasted just over two hours.

Presidential candidate Carly Fiorina, however, argued in favor of a longer debate.

“We have ten candidates on the stage. I don’t think three hours is a long time,” Fiorina said, in an interview with Fox News Host Megyn Kelly. “I think the American people really like them, and we ought to stand and answer as many questions as we can.”

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