CNN Republican Town Hall with Donald Trump

{{See also|Donald Trump 2024 presidential campaign}}

Donald Trump is a candidate for the 2024 presidential election. Trump previously served as president from 2017 to 2021.

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The town hall in New Hampshire was moderated by Kaitlan Collins, the co-host of CNN This Morning with Poppy Harlow. It was broadcast on CNN on May 10, 2023, a day after a jury ruled Trump was liable for sexual assault and defamation in E. Jean Carroll vs. Donald J. Trump, awarding the plaintiff—journalist E. Jean Carroll—with {{USD|5}} million for an encounter Trump had with her in a luxury department store dressing room in 1996. The town hall is Trump's first appearance on the network since 2016.

The interview was conducted live from the private Benedictine liberal arts college Saint Anselm College in Goffstown, New Hampshire.{{Cite web |url=https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/trump-cnn-town-hall/h_774523309969624b3ab622182327146d |title=Key things to know about the CNN presidential town hall in New Hampshire tonight |date=May 10, 2023 |last=Herb |first=Jeremy |publisher=CNN |access-date=May 10, 2023 |archive-date=May 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230511025941/https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/trump-cnn-town-hall/h_774523309969624b3ab622182327146d |url-status=live }} With regards to its location, New Hampshire's presidential primary is the first in the United States.{{Cite web |url=https://www.wbur.org/news/2022/12/16/new-hampshire-dnc-biden-presidential-primary |title=N.H. says it will continue to host the first presidential primary. Democrats have other ideas |date=December 16, 2022 |last=Brooks |first=Anthony |publisher=WBUR |access-date=May 10, 2023 |archive-date=May 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230511024440/https://www.wbur.org/news/2022/12/16/new-hampshire-dnc-biden-presidential-primary |url-status=live }} Saint Anselm College has hosted presidential candidates for decades.{{Cite web |url=https://www.nhpr.org/nh-news/2023-05-10/as-trump-takes-stage-at-saint-anselm-college-students-voice-their-opinions-outside |title=As Trump takes stage at Saint Anselm College, students voice their opinions outside |date=May 10, 2023 |last1=Bookman |first1=Todd |last2=Liu |first2=Michelle |publisher=New Hampshire Public Radio |access-date=May 10, 2023 |archive-date=May 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230511024439/https://www.nhpr.org/nh-news/2023-05-10/as-trump-takes-stage-at-saint-anselm-college-students-voice-their-opinions-outside |url-status=live }} The audience was made up of Republicans and undecided voters; in New Hampshire, voters may declare themselves as "undeclared", of which the state's undeclared voters make up a key voting bloc.{{Cite web |url=https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/trump-cnn-town-hall/h_32a968638647500716af85e338303369 |title=Trump will face questions from New Hampshire GOP primary voters. Here's why the state is key |date=May 10, 2023 |last1=Bradner |first1=Eric |last2=Herb |first2=Jeremy |publisher=CNN |access-date=May 10, 2023 |archive-date=May 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230511025942/https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/trump-cnn-town-hall/h_32a968638647500716af85e338303369 |url-status=live }}

The interview mentioned the investigation into Trump's handling of government documents and the FBI search of Mar-a-Lago. While Collins pointed out that Biden—whose home was also searched when classified documents were discovered at the Penn Biden Center—did not defy a subpoena, Trump interrupted her as Collins asked for him to answer the question. Trump then called her a "nasty person".{{Cite web |url=https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/trump-cnn-town-hall/h_b9b3605de6126fe52514f471fdc61653 |title=Trump has a history of insulting women by calling them "nasty" |date=May 10, 2023 |last=Wolf |first=Zachary |publisher=CNN |access-date=May 10, 2023 |archive-date=May 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230511025940/https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/trump-cnn-town-hall/h_b9b3605de6126fe52514f471fdc61653 |url-status=live }} Trump also promoted falsehoods on various topics, including the legitimacy of the 2020 presidential election, the January 6 Capitol attack and aid provided to Ukraine during Russia's invasion.{{Cite web |last1=Doak |first1=Sam |last2=Kristensen |first2=Nikolaj |date=May 12, 2023 |title=Trump uses CNN town hall to air multiple falsehoods |url=https://www.logicallyfacts.com/en/article/trump-cnn-town-hall-fact-checked |access-date=2023-05-24 |website=Logically |language=en |archive-date=May 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230524010736/https://www.logicallyfacts.com/en/article/trump-cnn-town-hall-fact-checked |url-status=live }}

The interview occurred the day after a New York jury found Trump liable for sexual assault and defamation against E. Jean Carroll.{{Cite news |last=Weiser |first=Benjamin |date=2023-05-22 |title=E. Jean Carroll Seeks New Damages From Trump for Comments on CNN |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/22/nyregion/carroll-trump-cnn-defamation.html |access-date=2023-05-24 |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=July 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230721053436/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/22/nyregion/carroll-trump-cnn-defamation.html |url-status=live }} During the interview, Trump called Carroll's account of the assault "fake" and "made up," and he referred to her as a "wack job."{{Cite news |last=Weiser |first=Benjamin |date=2023-05-22 |title=E. Jean Carroll Seeks New Damages From Trump for Comments on CNN |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/22/nyregion/carroll-trump-cnn-defamation.html |access-date=2023-05-24 |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=July 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230721053436/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/22/nyregion/carroll-trump-cnn-defamation.html |url-status=live }} In response to Trump's comments, Carroll filed a motion with the Southern District of New York seeking an additional $10 million in damages from Trump for defamation.{{Cite news |last=Weiser |first=Benjamin |date=2023-05-22 |title=E. Jean Carroll Seeks New Damages From Trump for Comments on CNN |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/22/nyregion/carroll-trump-cnn-defamation.html |access-date=2023-05-24 |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=July 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230721053436/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/22/nyregion/carroll-trump-cnn-defamation.html |url-status=live }} The court granted the motion, and the second defamation trial has been scheduled for January 15, 2024.{{cite news |last=Richards |first=Zoë |date=June 15, 2023 |title=Second E. Jean Carroll defamation trial against Trump set for January: Carroll is seeking new damages of at least $10 million, based in part on comments Trump made at a CNN town hall last month. |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/e-jean-carrolls-defamation-trial-trump-set-jan-2024-rcna89615 |work=NBC News |access-date=June 16, 2023 |archive-date=June 15, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230615232426/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/e-jean-carrolls-defamation-trial-trump-set-jan-2024-rcna89615 |url-status=live }}

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) planned its most aggressive rapid response effort in preparing for the town hall.{{Cite web |url=https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/trump-cnn-town-hall/h_bb21eb6acf30df716314f72e0d886a7b |title=Democratic National Committee planning "aggressive" rapid response for Trump town hall |date=May 10, 2023 |last=Saenz |first=Arlette |publisher=CNN |access-date=May 10, 2023 |archive-date=May 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230511025945/https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/trump-cnn-town-hall/h_bb21eb6acf30df716314f72e0d886a7b |url-status=live }}

Chris Jankowski, the chief executive of Never Back Down, a political action committee aligned to 2024 Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis, said that the town hall was a "true marriage of equals", in that Trump has "lost his luster" and resorted to appearing on a network that's "lost its ratings".{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/05/10/us/trump-cnn-town-hall/a-desantis-aligned-super-pac-criticizes-trump-and-cnn |title=A DeSantis-aligned super PAC criticizes Trump and CNN. |date=May 10, 2023 |last=Weisman |first=Jonathan |work=The New York Times |access-date=May 10, 2023 |archive-date=May 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230511021926/https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/05/10/us/trump-cnn-town-hall/a-desantis-aligned-super-pac-criticizes-trump-and-cnn |url-status=live }}

CNN's Kristen Holmes wrote that the town hall was a "broader and more traditional campaign strategy", straying away from the Trump campaign's large rallies.{{Cite web |url=https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/trump-cnn-town-hall/h_7f16817c38b631ee6f8f3f57bf7c8532 |title=Tonight's Trump town hall is a sign of a broader and more traditional campaign strategy |date=May 10, 2023 |last=Holmes |first=Kristen |publisher=CNN |access-date=May 10, 2023 |archive-date=May 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230511030013/https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/trump-cnn-town-hall/h_7f16817c38b631ee6f8f3f57bf7c8532 |url-status=live }}

Mainstream media organizations widely criticized the event, which came the day after Trump was found liable for sexually abusing and defaming author E. Jean Carroll.

A New York Times headline said, "Trump's Falsehoods and Bluster Overtake CNN Town Hall,"{{Cite news |last=Weisman |first=Jonathan |date=2023-05-10 |title=Trump's Falsehoods and Bluster Overtake CNN Town Hall |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/05/10/us/trump-cnn-town-hall |access-date=2023-05-11 |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=May 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230511031145/https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/05/10/us/trump-cnn-town-hall |url-status=live }} while Slate called it "breathtakingly ill-conceived".{{Cite news |last=Peters |first=Justin |date=2023-05-11 |title=Donald Trump's CNN Town Hall Was a Disaster |language=en-US |work=Slate |url=https://slate.com/business/2023/05/trump-cnn-town-hall-kaitlan-collins-new-hampshire-disaster.html |access-date=2023-05-11 |issn=1091-2339 |archive-date=May 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230511050600/https://slate.com/business/2023/05/trump-cnn-town-hall-kaitlan-collins-new-hampshire-disaster.html |url-status=live }} The Wall Street Journal ran the headline, "Trump Mocks Sexual Abuse Case, Repeats False 2020 Election Claims at CNN Town Hall."{{Cite news |last1=Leary |first1=Alex |last2=McCormick |first2=John |title=Trump Mocks Sexual Abuse Case, Repeats False 2020 Election Claims at CNN Town Hall |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-loss-in-sexual-abuse-case-casts-another-legal-cloud-over-2024-bid-a86846af |access-date=2023-05-11 |newspaper=Wall Street Journal |date=May 10, 2023 |language=en-US |archive-date=May 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230511051326/https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-loss-in-sexual-abuse-case-casts-another-legal-cloud-over-2024-bid-a86846af |url-status=live }} CNBC reported, "Trump pushes false election claims, mocks E. Jean Carroll to applause during CNN town hall."{{Cite web |last=Breuninger |first=Kevin |title=Trump pushes false election claims, mocks E. Jean Carroll to applause during CNN town hall |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2023/05/10/trump-cnn-town-hall.html |access-date=2023-05-11 |website=CNBC |date=May 10, 2023 |language=en |archive-date=May 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230511050936/https://www.cnbc.com/2023/05/10/trump-cnn-town-hall.html |url-status=live }}

Michael Fanone, a former Washington, D.C. police officer involved with the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack, wrote in Rolling Stone, "CNN Is Hosting a Town Hall for a Guy Who Tried to Get Me Killed. Donald Trump tried to end American democracy. Why is CNN throwing him a rehabilitation party?"{{Cite magazine |last=Fanone |first=Michael |date=2023-05-10 |title=CNN Is Hosting a Town Hall for a Guy Who Tried to Get Me Killed |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/political-commentary/cnn-trump-town-hall-abomination-michael-fanone-1234732510/ |access-date=2023-05-11 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}

{{Reflist}}

• [https://www.cnn.com/audio/podcasts/cnn-tonight/episodes/7c1a3908-fee4-4945-bf91-afff001d9b42 Audio-only version of the event]
• [https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/11/politics/transcript-cnn-town-hall-trump/index.html Transcript] from CNN.com

Category:2023 in American television

Category:2023 controversies in the United States

Category:2023 television specials

Category:May 2023 in the United States

Republican Town Hall with Donald Trump

Category:Television controversies in the United States

Category:Donald Trump 2024 presidential campaign

Category:Controversies of the 2024 United States presidential election