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Former President Donald Trump warned his supporters that his scheduled CNN appearance for Wednesday night could turn into a potential "disaster" in a Truth Social post Tuesday morning.
Trump, who is running in the 2024 Republican presidential primary, is set to appear at a town hall hosted by CNN in St. Anselm's College in New Hampshire, an early-voting state in the presidential primary elections and a key battleground in the general, on Wednesday as the 2024 elections kick off. The town hall came as a surprise to many, as Trump and CNN have a longstanding tense relationship, with the former president often accusing the network of having an unfair bias against him.
He took to Truth Social to tease the town hall, appearing to tempter expectations for his supporters by writing he is not confident the event will go well for him.
Instead, he took a dig at the network, writing that they are "desperate" for ratings. He also wrote that he believes the town hall could become a "disaster" for everyone involved, including himself.
"I'll be doing CNN tomorrow night, LIVE from the Great State of New Hampshire, because they are rightfully desperate to get those fantastic (TRUMP!) ratings once again. They made me a deal I couldn't refuse!!!" Trump wrote. "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. Let's see what happens? Wednesday Night at 8:00!!!"
Newsweek reached out to Trump's campaign for further comment via email.
The town hall comes as Trump remains the favorite to snag the GOP presidential nomination. A new Morning Consult poll conducted from May 5 to 7 found Trump securing support from 60 percent of likely GOP primary voters, leading his closest competitor, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who has not announced a campaign, by more than 40 points.
During the town hall, which is set to be moderated by CNN This Anchor Kaitlan Collins, Trump will address questions from undecided voters who plan to vote in the upcoming GOP primary. It marks the first time Trump has appeared on CNN since his 2016 presidential campaign.
Many political observers have condemned CNN for agreeing to host Trump, pointing to his record of making untrue statements about the results of the 2020 presidential election.
Commentator Keith Olbermann described the decision as "committing journalistic suicide," tweeting: "If there was ONE consensus about 2024 it was that 'covering' Trump the way they did in 2016 (handing him live blocks of free airtime with no fact-checking possible) was irresponsible. And CNN's doing it."
About the writer
Andrew Stanton is a Newsweek weekend reporter based in Maine. His role is reporting on U.S. politics and social issues. ... Read more