SIMI VALLEY, CALIFORNIA: The second 2024 GOP presidential debate took place at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, on Wednesday, September 27.
Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Vivek Ramaswamy, Mike Pence, Chris Christie, Tim Scott and Doug Burgum, were among the Republican candidates who took part in the debate while former US President Donald Trump remained absent due to his Michigan trip amid the ongoing UAW strike.
Fox Business Network host Stuart Varney, Fox News host Dana Perino, and Univision’s Ilia Calderon moderated the debate, which was shown on the Fox Business Network.
As the debate came to an end, several celebrities took to X, formerly Twitter, to react to the much talked-about event.
Mark Hamill, John Rich, Megyn Kelly and others react to second GOP debate
Several celebrities including actors, comedians, singers and political commentators reacted to the second GOP debate.
"Which would you rather watch tonight?" singer-songwriter John Rich asked ahead of the debate alongside a vote showing two options.
The first option saying, "Watch the GOP debate" garnered 6.5% vote while the second option reading, "Watch the grass grow" received 93.5% vote.
Star Wars actor Mark Hamill echoed similar sentiments writing, "What I'm watching instead of tonight's #GOPDebate" alongside a photo of the Marx Brothers.
"Christie: 'Vivek put your hand down.' Well done. My kids liked it," tweeted Megyn Kelly.
"GOOD FOR DESANTIS!!!" exclaimed American conservative commentator and author Ann Coulter.
"Stop calling it #GOPDebate. Call it what Trump calls it: Henchmen-Con," wrote comedian, actor and broadcaster John Fugelsang.
"Vivek Ramaswamy is like "Leave It To Beaver's" Eddie Haskell after a night of doing blow with James Woods. #GOPDebate," he added in another X post.
"This Republican Debate is boring without President Trump," said comedian Terrence K Williams.
"Chris Christie called Trump 'Donald Duck.' He spent weeks and stay up late so many nights eating donuts and cookies thinking about what to call Trump This is what he came up with! Lame," he added in another tweet.
"It NOT a political party - it’s a deathkkult trying to fulfill its mission - us or them," stated actor John Cusack.
Donald Trump fires back amid pushback for not attending second GOP debate
Trump reportedly clapped back at his Republican opponents who called him out for not attending the second GOP debate.
""I thought it was much more important, considering I have a 56-point lead, for me to be dealing with the UAW and the fact that the Biden Administration is going to destroy their jobs over the next two years by going all electric vehicle," he told Fox News Digital on Wednesday, September 27.
He also opened up about before a crowd of autoworkers in Clinton Township, Michigan, saying, "The crowd was incredible—unreal. I think we have great support to save the autoworker."
The former president also addressed the moment from the GOP debate where former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie called him "Donald Duck."
"Anybody that would come up with that nickname shouldn’t be running for president," Trump said.
