October 15, 2015 Mr. Matthew Cuddy Washington Bureau Chief CNBC 1025 Connecticut Avenue Washington, DC 20036 Dear Mr. Cuddy: While we appreciate you taking time to talk with to the 2016 Republican Presidential campaigns, you included terms for the debate to which Donald Trump and Trump for President, Inc. and Dr. Ben Carson and Carson America, Inc., do not agree. Mr. Trump and Dr. Carson do agree to a 120 minute debate that includes commercial breaks and opening and closing statements. Mr. Trump and Dr. Carson do not, and will not, agree to appear at a debate that is more than 120 minutes long including commercials breaks. Further, the debate must include opening and closing statements from all the candidates. Specifically, we write because the Agenda sent to the campaigns recently by CNBC in partnership with the Republican National Committee (RNC), and reiterated on yesterday’s call, indicated that there would be “two hours of debate time” plus four commercial breaks lasting between 2 and 4 minutes each. In addition, your Agenda stated there would not be any opening or closing statements and included a statement that the campaigns had agreed. To be clear, neither of our campaigns agreed to either the length you propose or your ban on opening or closing statements. In fact, neither of our campaigns were even consulted. Neither of those conditions are acceptable. 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. Both our campaigns hope that you will agree with these very reasonable format changes so that CNBC may present all the Republican candidates to your audience. Please inform Michael Glassner (
[email protected]) of Mr. Trump’s campaign and Ed Brookover (
[email protected]) of Dr. Carson’s of your decision. Sincerely,
Mr. Donald J. Trump Donald J. Trump for President, Inc.
Dr. Benjamin Carson Carson America, Inc.
