Donald Trump is appearing on CNN for the first time since 2016 in a prime-time event from New Hampshire at a fraught time for the network and the former president.
(Bloomberg) — Donald Trump is appearing on CNN for the first time since 2016 in a prime-time event from New Hampshire at a fraught time for the network and the former president.
Trump will face voters in a live town hall on Wednesday night moderated by CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins, a day after a federal jury in New York found him liable for the sexual assault and defamation of writer E.
Jean Carroll. It will be his first public appearance since the verdict.
In the audience will be Republicans and undeclared voters who said they plan to vote in the first-in-the-nation GOP primary next year.
The broadcast comes as Chris Licht, who replaced Jeff Zucker as head of CNN last year, is trying to improve the network’s ratings and revenues after a tumultuous period covering Trump — who still calls CNN “fake news” — by creating a less divisive and opinionated news network.
Licht believes CNN can become an alternative to Fox News for some Republican viewers.
Part of Licht’s strategy is to stop paying pundits to pose as Republicans on CNN and have actual lawmakers on the network. By hosting Trump in a town hall, CNN could make it easier for Republican lawmakers to appear on the channel without fearing it would alienate their base.
Different Landscape
Jon Klein, a former president of CNN US, said the political and media landscape is very different now than it was when Trump first ran for president and critics said CNN gave him too much airtime.
Klein said network runs a risk that Trump hijacks the conversation and isn’t held accountable, something that Collins will be responsible for preventing.
“It’s totally legit for any news organization to feature the leading candidate of a major political party,” Klein said.
“It’s important to hear where Trump’s head is at these days.”
Town halls are generally not big money makers. The event with Trump will likely lead to a brief ratings boost, but whatever advertising dollars that it brings in risks being eaten up by the cost of producing the town hall.
Key Trump allies believe the former president’s invitation to appear on CNN is a pivotal moment with longer-term significance.
“Nobody should underestimate the importance of CNN re-platforming Donald Trump,” said Steve Bannon, who was White House chief strategist under Trump.
“This is not only huge, it’s dangerous for CNN because it’s beyond just cable news” and gives Trump a global media platform, a recognition of the strength of his movement, Bannon said.
Bannon said CNN’s embrace of Trump also was an important corporate chess move in the battle with Fox News for cable news viewers.
“Bringing Trump on for the first time since 2016 is a bid to steal viewers from Fox News, which is reeling after losing Tucker Carlson,” he said.
Matt Dornic, a CNN spokesman, said in a statement that Trump is the Republican frontrunner “and our job, despite his unique circumstances, is to do what we do best.
Ask tough questions, follow up and hold him accountable to give voters the information they need to sort through their choices. That is our role and our responsibility.”
The Carroll verdict is sure to come up, as are a slew of other legal issues facing Trump.
Investigations are underway into his handling of classified documents and efforts to overturn the 2020 election. He was indicted last month on 34 felony counts related to hush-money payments to an adult firm star during his 2016 presidential campaign.
He has called the cases and probes politically motivated and said he’ll appeal the verdict in the Carroll case.
Competing Candidates
Rather than hurting Trump politically, the indictment last month has so far spurred Republicans to rally behind him — just as it appeared the party was ready to move on to an alternative such as Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
Instead, Trump has widened his lead in the RealClearPolitics average of polls over DeSantis to almost 30 points from almost 16 points on March 30 when the indictment was handed down.
It remains to be seen how the 2024 race will be affected by Trump’s latest legal entanglement, and his GOP rivals have largely avoided responding.
DeSantis, who’s widely expected to enter the race around June 1, ducked a question about the ongoing controversies involving Trump at a press conference in Florida on Wednesday.
Trump himself has alluded to the high stakes for CNN and himself with the live town hall in a social-media post on Tuesday.
He said CNN is “rightfully desperate to get those fantastic (TRUMP!) ratings once again” and made him a deal he couldn’t refuse.
“Could be the beginning of a New & Vibrant CNN, with no more Fake News, or it could turn into a disaster for all, including me,” Trump said.
“Let’s see what happens?”
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