CNN abruptly ended a segment with a spokeswoman for former president Donald Trump when she began criticizing network anchor Jake Tapper.
CNN host Kasie Hunt brought on Trump spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt to set expectations for the network’s upcoming presidential debate between Trump and President Joe Biden.
Leavitt said Trump is “well-prepared” for the debate to the point of “knowingly going into a hostile environment on this very network, on CNN,” and criticized the debate moderators for their supposedly biased coverage of Trump over the past eight years.
Hunt pushed back on Leavitt’s suggestion that CNN is biased against Trump and defended her colleagues once Leavitt finished answering the question.
After Hunt played footage of Trump’s comments on the debate, Leavitt began focusing her criticism specifically on Jake Tapper and his past remarks about Trump.
“First of all, it would take someone five minutes to Google ‘Jake Tapper Donald Trump’ to see that Jake Tapper has…,” Leavitt said, as Hunt interrupted. Leavitt referenced Tapper’s past comparison of Trump to Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler and Hunt warned Leavitt to keep the interview focused on the debate.
“I am stating facts that your colleagues have stated in the past,”Leavitt said, before Hunt ended the interview and CNN dropped Leavitt from the broadcast. Hunt said Leavitt is welcome to come back on the network to discuss Donald Trump.
“You come on my show, you respect my colleagues. Period. I don’t care what side of the aisle you stand on, as my track record clearly shows,” Hunt said on X following the interview.
“You cut off my microphone for bringing up the debate moderator’s history of anti-Trump lies. This proved our point that President Trump will not be treated fairly on Thursday. Yet he is still willing to go into this 3-1 fight to bring his winning message to the American people, and he will win,” Leavitt shot back.
Tapper and CNN anchor Dana Bash are set to moderate the debate Thursday evening from Atlanta, Georgia. It is the first debate between Trump and Biden since the 2020 election cycle. The debate came together quickly following online taunts from the candidates last month. Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will not be participating in the debate.
“Jake Tapper and Dana Bash are well respected veteran journalists who have covered politics for more than five decades combined,” a CNN spokesperson told NR in a statement.
“They have extensive experience moderating major political debates, including CNN’s Republican Presidential Primary Debate this cycle. There are no two people better equipped to co-moderate a substantial and fact-based discussion and we look forward to the debate on June 27 in Atlanta.”
Last time around, moderator Chris Wallace struggled to control Trump throughout the first presidential debate. CNN’s debate rules are meant to prevent that from happening by muting microphones when candidates are not speaking and not having a studio audience present.
Trump said on Saturday he’s selected his running made ahead of the debate, but has not told the person yet. His vice-presidential selection will be attending the upcoming debate.