Donald Trump kind of wants to get paid for the upcoming CNN presidential debate

(Image credit: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

Donald Trump is a man who knows when he's winning. And judging by his big Time magazine profile — complete with a cover photo and the suggestion for everyone to just deal with it — Trump is fully aware he's got the nation by the horns.

Not to mention the media. With regard to the next Republican presidential debate, which will be hosted by CNN on Sept. 16 at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley, California, Trump mused:

"Here's my question: So if I go to CNN and I say, Look, you're going to have a massive audience, and if I say to them, I want $10 million for charity, nothing for myself, what happens? I’m not showing up, right?... I'm not showing up unless you give $10 million to cancer, to this, to that. You pick 10 great charities, $1 million per... If I'm in it, they’ll get this crazy audience, and they’re going to make a fortune since they're selling commercials every time we take a break. Would you ever say to them, would you ever say, I want $10 million for AIDS research, for cancer, for this type or not, or is it too cute?" [Time]

The Fox News Republican debate earlier this month shattered viewership records, reaching 24 million television sets. Trump, of course, credits himself.

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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.