Trump campaign manager: We have not 'formally' invited and 'don't expect' ex-Bill Clinton mistress to be at debate
The Republican presidential nominee on Saturday threatened to invite Gennifer Flowers to Monday's presidential debate at Hofstra University following Hillary Clinton's decision to invite billionaire investor and Trump-agitator Mark Cuban to the debate.
But in an interview on "State of the Union," Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway said the Trump campaign had not formally invited Flowers to the debate in Long Island, New York, and mocked the Clinton campaign for being "baited" into responding to Trump's threat.
"Basically, Mr. Trump was saying look, if Mark Cuban is going to send out these texts saying 'The Humbling at Hofstra,' and 'This is his big downfall,' then Mr. Trump was putting them on notice that we can certainly invite guests that make it into the head of Hillary Clinton," Conway said.
She added: "But we have not invited her formally, and we don't expect her to be there as a guest of the Trump campaign."
Clinton's campaign criticized Trump on Saturday for inviting Flowers, with whom former President Bill Clinton admitted having "sexual relations" with at least once when he was attorney general of Arkansas during the 1970's.
"Hillary Clinton plans on using the debate to discuss the issues that make a difference in people's lives. It's not surprising that Donald Trump has chosen a different path," Clinton communications director Jennifer Palmieri said in a statement.
Flowers, who is supporting Trump, previously told the New York Times that she would be at the debate, though it was unclear whether she had received a formal invitation or was simply responding to Trump's tweet.
For his part, Cuban has proved deft at getting under Trump's skin.
After Trump slammed the Dallas Mavericks owner and threatened to invite Flowers to Monday's debate, Cuban fired back with background information on a private call between the two outspoken businessmen.