No, Donald Trump will definitely not be at the Fox News debate

Despite a swirl of rumors that businessman Donald Trump might buck his pledge and show up at Thursday night's debate hosted by Fox News, his campaign manager insists that's not happening.

"Mr. Trump is not participating in the Fox News debate," Trump spokesman Corey Lewandowski told CBS News Chief White House Correspondent Major Garrett Thursday.

Though current GOP front-runner Donald Trump qualified for the main debate stage, he later refused his invitation after airing complaints about both Fox News itself and their debate moderator Megyn Kelly, saying the network anchor is "really biased against" him.

Instead, Trump announced he'll hold a competing event in Iowa, just three miles from the debate venue, that will benefit veterans. It starts at the exact same time as the debate: 9 p.m. ET.

Still, New York Magazine's Gabriel Sherman said Thursday Trump was suggesting he might show up.

In an interview on CBSN earlier Thursday, Trump's national spokesperson, Katrina Pierson, was asked whether there was any chance the candidate would show up at the debate.

"I'm not sure. Mr. Trump is the only one that can speak to that," she said, but then added, "As of now...the entire Trump team is working on our own event here Iowa."

Or Lewandowski, who categorically rejected the possibility.