By Jackson Richman
Former President Donald Trump, the current front-runner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, is set to attend a May 10 town hall in New Hampshire hosted by CNN, which he has long criticized as a “fake news outlet.” » part.
However, Trump appears set to put aside his differences with CNN in favor of his campaign reaching out to the American people.
“Getting out of the traditional Republican comfort zone was the key to President Trump’s success in 2016. Some of the other candidates are too scared to take this step in their quest to defeat Joe Biden and are too scared to do anything other than Fox News.” Trump’s advisor told The Epoch Times about it.
The adviser, who spoke only on condition of anonymity, said “CNN executives made a compelling statement.” The consultant did not specify what the pitch is and what makes it compelling.
Media analyst John Nicosia told The Epoch Times that Trump’s move would help re-legitimize CNN and could be a veiled shot at Fox News.
“I would be very worried about Trump supporters,” media analyst John Nicosia, former editor of Mediaite, told The Epoch Times. “But when it comes down to it, Trump is a product of New York and the media. Despite all of his “fake news” talk, he just can’t seem to let it go. But the reality is that he spent four years calling it fake news, and this one act legitimizes it again overnight.”
And it’s not just about CNN, Nicosia noted.
“It’s also a veiled shot at Fox News,” he said. “I don’t see him doing that in a world where Tucker Carlson hasn’t been fired.”
Curtis Hook, managing editor of the conservative media watchdog NewsBusters, told The Epoch Times that the town hall was as much about CNN as it was about Trump.
“It’s kind of a hailstorm for CNN, which might even get a short ratings bump that’s not in the cable news basement. Despite all the talk that Donald Trump is a threat and danger not only to the lives of journalists but also to the country and the world, it is all a joke and a show for the ratings and approval of their thirsty Resistance audience,” he said.
At 9 p.m. ET, the town hall will be hosted by CNN This Morning co-host Caitlan Collins, a columnist for the right-wing news site The Daily Caller. Anselm College in Goffstown, NH, while covering the White House, Collins ran into Trump.
However, Trump will take questions from Collins, Republican voters and undecided voters.
“CNN has a long tradition of hosting leading presidential candidates for town halls and political events as an important component of the network’s strong campaign coverage,” CNN said in a statement. “This event with former President Trump will be the first of many CNN events in the coming months as CNN reporters travel across the country to hear directly from voters in the run-up to the 2024 presidential election.”
In response to questions about what was behind the town hall, especially given Trump’s hostility toward the network, a CNN spokesperson responded to the network’s aforementioned statement.
Since the Trump administration, CNN has seen a change in leadership, with Chris Licht replacing Jeff Zucker, who oversaw the channel during an era of hostility to the Trump presidency.