The first U.S. Republican presidential primary debate for the 2024 election recently took place, attracting a total audience of 12.8 million viewers, although former President Donald Trump did not participate in the debate and instead opted for a pre-recorded interview with Tucker Carlson, which gained over 74 million views on X (previously known as Twitter). During the debate, it was observed that none of the Republican primary debate candidates are likely to become president in 2025, while Trump remains the frontrunner in the polls. Vivek Ramaswamy gained attention, polling behind Ron DeSantis, as he aimed to outflank Trump from the right. Nikki Haley positioned herself as the voice of reason and expressed doubts about Trump's electability, highlighting the Republican party's struggle to move on from Trump. Major topics of discussion included abortion and gender issues, with all candidates expressing support for efforts to overturn Roe v Wade. The next Republican primary debate is scheduled for September at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, with the Iowa caucus set to occur on January 15, 2024, as the first contest in the battle for the Republican nomination.