President Donald Trump has announced that he will be skipping Thursday night’s Republican Party debate in Iowa and will instead be holding a competing town hall event. The presidential election cycle has been anything but predictable this year, and that is highlighted by Trump’s decision to forgo the debate stage at the last minute. His announcement came on Tuesday evening, two days before the debate was set to take place, and it could shake up the Republican race for the White House. The president revealed his plans during a press conference at the White House, where he stated that he wanted to hold a town hall event in Iowa on Thursday instead in order to “reach as many people as possible.” This move is significant as it will put the president in direct competition with his Republican opponents on election night. All of the other candidates, including former Vice President Joe Biden, are set to participate in the GOP debate as planned. For those unfamiliar with the process, televised debates are seen as a critical step in the election process and they can have a huge impact on voter sentiment. For Trump, skipping the debate might be a calculated move to try and edge ahead of his rivals. While some have praised the president for his bold move, others have criticized it as a way to avoid tough questions about his record from his GOP challengers. Trump has been criticized in the past for not appearing at debates, and this decision will likely only add fuel to that fire. In any case, Thursday night will be an interesting night for Iowa voters. While Biden and the other candidates duke it out on the debate stage, President Trump will be holding his own town hall. If nothing else, it will make for an interesting election night in the Hawkeye State.