The news behind that Trump interview

that CNN had become too ideological.

Licht canceled Brian Stelter’s media criticism show Reliable Sources and shifted prime-time star Don Lemon to the morning. Both hosts had been outspoken against Trump. Lemon was red this spring after accusations of sexism both on air and toward his female co-hosts.

Lemon and his attorney contest those allegations. Licht has told his sta they are reestablishing the channel’s original identity.

David Zaslav, the chief executive of CNN’s parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery, said,“ e US has divided government. We need to hear both voices. Republicans are on the air on CNN. Democrats are on the air. All voices should be heard on CNN.

“Our network is about the best version of the facts,” Zaslav said. “ is is a new CNN.” e announcement of CNN’s town hall with Trump engendered a backlash from both liberals and journalists who question the wisdom of putting Trump on the air live. During Trump’s drive to the White House in 2015 and 2016, the press failed repeatedly to cover him adequately. His rapid- re bombast and glibness with false claims and outright lies overwhelmed reporters’ ability to process the implications of what he was saying in real time. e CNN town hall featured Republican and non-committed New Hampshire voters at St. Anselm College. It was moderated by morning host Kaitlan Collins. She is wellknown to Trump, as a former

Zaslav has dismissed concerns about CNN’s tepid ratings, saying the channel could draw stronger audiences with more partisan fare. Carrying Trump on the air could cause viewership to spike, at least for the night.

MSNBC host Mehdi Hasan argued against inviting Trump on. Failing that, however, he declared that CNN had an obligation to confront the former president about his record and his character, in and out of o ce. He said that CNN should start by asking Trump whether he had disquali ed himself from the presidency, both for his actions ahead of the January 6 riot on the Capitol and recent comments that appeared to justify “terminating” parts of the US Constitution.

White House correspondent for CNN.

CNN political director David Chalian said the network approached the event as it would one for any candidate, but called Trump a “unique candidate” in that he’s a former president — the rst one to run for the White House in more than a century.

And Chalian acknowledged another distinction. Trump trashed governing norms. He was impeached twice by the US House, though not convicted in the US Senate.

Moderator Kaitlan Collins tussled with Trump [pictured] as a White House reporter. She carries conservative bona des as a former reporter for the Daily Caller, founded by Carlson. But she did not display a strong ideological a nity as a CNN White House re- porter. Indeed, she was hardly seen as a pushover. Trump aides, irked over her coverage, once blocked her from attending a press conference. at’s a more familiar dynamic for Trump and CNN. He earlier accused the network of “anger and hatred” toward him and said he considered it to be serving as the opposition to his administration.

( e Trump White House unsuccessfully went to court to revoke the credentials of her colleague Jim Acosta.)

“ ey made me a deal I couldn’t refuse!!!” Trump posted on his social media site, Truth Social. “Could be the beginning of a new and Vibrant CNN, with no more Fake News, or it could turn into a disaster for all, including me.”