CNN Trump town hall live: What time and how to watch as Kaitlan Collins prepares to grill Trump
Protesters react outside court as Trump was found trustworthy on sexual assault charges
donald trump performs at a highly anticipated – and hugely controversial – town hall event hosted by CNN tonight.
It started at City Hall New Hampshire at 8pm and comes just a day after Mr Trump was found guilty of sexually abusing and defaming a writer EJean Carroll in one new York civil process.
Mr Trump immediately railed against the jury’s decision ordering him to pay $5 million in damages, calling it a “complete disgrace”.
Meanwhile, CNN has faced backlash and calls to boycott the network over its decision to host the former president, who has repeatedly called its reporting “fake news.”
While City Hall was sentenced immediately after the announcement last week, anger grew even stronger after Tuesday’s sentencing Alexandria Ocasio Cortez threw all their weight behind fresh calls to cancel it. Michael FanoneOne of the Capitol police officers injured on January 6 also criticized the network. Neither CNN nor Trump showed any intention of calling it off.
Mr Trump is expected to face tough questions from both discussion moderators Kaitlan Collins and the audience of Republican voters.
Collins challenges Trump saying Republican officials have refuted his claims of fraudulent ballots.
Oliver O’ConnellMay 11, 2023 1:11 am
Trump’s first question from a New Hampshire voter: “During your presidential bid, will you shut down the divisive talks about voter fraud?”
“Yes, unless I see voter fraud,” Trump replies.
The closest the former president has come to claiming the 2020 election was rigged is when he says, “Let’s just win again and fix our country.”
Oliver O’ConnellMay 11, 2023 1:09 am
After Trump ran through various conspiracy theories about the 2020 election, Collins interjected.
Oliver O’ConnellMay 11, 2023 1:07 am
Trump’s town hall begins
City Hall begins with Collins stating that no questions are off the table.
She begins by asking why Americans should bring Trump back to the White House given that he is under active investigation, the results of the last election have not yet been recognized and his first term in office ended in a deadly riot.
Trump immediately begins by saying, “Unless you’re a very stupid person,” you know that 2020 was a rigged election.
Oliver O’ConnellMay 11, 2023 1:05 am
In pictures: Supporters and protesters gather in front of the venue
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(REUTERS)
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Oliver O’ConnellMay 11, 2023 00:57
Venue: Saint Anselm College, New Hampshire
Saint Anselm College has its own storied presidential campaign history. Republican Richard Nixon was his first stop in his successful 1968 presidential run. Pretty much everyone involved in Presidential politics has visited us – from Ronald Reagan to Presidents Bush, Trump and Bernie Sanders.
The Benedictine Liberal Arts College hosted a fiery Democratic presidential debate days before the 2008 primary, which saw Hillary Clinton claim a comeback victory after Barack Obama won the Iowa primary — though that was a bogus morning for the then-New York senator’s campaign was.
Oliver O’ConnellMay 11, 2023 00:52
CNN Town Hall anchor Kaitlan Collins is to be offered a prime-time show, according to the report
Puck News reports that CNN CEO Chris Licht plans to offer Kaitlan Collins, the presenter of today’s Trump City Hall, a new contract to serve as the anchor of the channel’s 9 p.m. primetime hour.[ortsthatCNNCEOChrisLichtplanstoofferKaitlanCollinsmoderatoroftonight’sTrumptownhallanewcontracttoserveasthehostofthenetwork’s9pmprimetimehour[ortsthatCNNCEOChrisLichtplanstoofferKaitlanCollinsmoderatoroftonight’sTrumptownhallanewcontracttoserveasthehostofthenetwork’s9pmprimetimehour
Collins is currently the co-host of CNN this morning.
Oliver O’ConnellMay 11, 2023 00:48
Stelter: CNN’s Trump City Hall is a “signal”
Former CNN media correspondent Brian Stelter says that tonight’s Trump town hall is a “signal to the political elites and the public about CNN’s editorial approach” and that the motivation is likely money.
Oliver O’ConnellMay 11, 2023 00:40
Amid backlash, Michael Fanone condemns CNN’s pro-Trump town hall party
The retired DC Metropolitan Police officer and now regular CNN contributor penned one essay in Rolling Stone He explained the “sucker punch” he felt when the network announced the former president would be included in a special town hall event, likening it to a “rehab party.”
He’s not alone and there’s a growing backlash on social media.
Oliver O’ConnellMay 11, 2023 00:30
Less than 45 minutes to the start of what may be a busy town hall. CNN is still very angry about the organization of the event.
Oliver O’ConnellMay 11, 2023 00:19
