Multi-billionaire Donald Trump demanded Monday that the TV host of the next Republican debate, CNN, pay him $5 million to participate — or he won't take the debate stage.
"I won't do the debate unless they pay me $5 million dollars," Trump told his crowd of supporters in Macon, Georgia, Monday night.
"All of which goes to wounded warriors or to [veterans]," Trump added, as the crowd cheered and clapped in affirmation. "Seriously! Seriously!"
Trump cited September's record debate viewership as reason enough CNN should pay him. Each of the first four GOP debates featured high ratings, with the first two even eclipsing more than 20 million viewers.
Monday was not the first time the Republican presidential front-runner raised the idea of being paid to participate in a debate. Prior to September's debate, Trump wrote a letter to CNN president Jeff Zucker requesting that the large profits the network would make for hosting the debate be sent to veterans.
According to CBS News, the crowd at Trump's Monday rally was not as large as many of his others. The rally, which was hosted at a venue that holds up to 10,000 people, had only about 5,500 people in attendance.
The next Republican debate is slated to take place on Dec. 15 in Las Vegas.
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Chris Enloe
Staff Writer