What to know about Trump’s CNN town hall

Former President Donald Trump is making his return to CNN with a town hall event on Wednesday after shunning the network during the 2020 election cycle.

Trump’s Wednesday event could be pivotal for the former president’s relationship with the media and for his standing in New Hampshire, which hosts the first GOP primary election. Here is what you need to know.

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When is the event, and who is moderating?

The town hall will be at 8 p.m. at St. Anselm College in New Hampshire and will air on CNN. The moderator for the event is CNN This Morning anchor Kaitlan Collins, who the former president has sparred with.

Collins has experience covering Trump, reporting on the 2016 presidential election for the Daily Caller before joining CNN as a White House correspondent in 2017 and serving in that role until 2022.

What will be discussed at the town hall?

The town hall is expected to encompass a wide variety of topics, with CNN telling ABC News that “no subject is off limits.”

The network has said Collins, along with prospective Republican and undeclared voters from the Granite State, will be asking Trump questions.

Trump has previewed in a Truth Social post that the town hall could be the beginning of a “New & Vibrant CNN, with no more Fake News” or “a disaster for all, including me.” The former president’s comments came before a New York jury found he sexually abused and defamed author E. Jean Carroll in a civil trial.

The Tuesday verdict and the former president’s repeated false claims of alleged fraud in the 2020 election could lead Trump to go off of other core topics in the 2024 election, such as the economy, and the border, among other matters.

Trump’s history with CNN

Trump has had a contentious relationship with the cable news giant, constantly slamming it as “fake news” during and after his presidency.

In a post to his social media platform Truth Social, Trump said the network is “desperate” to get good ratings for his appearance.

“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!!!” he said.

The former president has previously sparred with reporters from the network, including Collins and Jim Acosta. In April 2020, Trump responded to Collins’s attempt to ask a follow-up question by telling her not to talk to him.

“I told you, CNN is fake news. Don’t talk to me,” Trump said.

Trump did not go on CNN during the 2020 election cycle, with his last appearance on the network being during the 2016 campaign.

What could this mean for Trump’s 2024 campaign?

The town hall will be one of Trump’s first opportunities of the 2024 election cycle to make his pitch for a second term to a less friendly audience.

Trump has kept his focus on Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) in recent months but could shift his focus as he makes his pitch to CNN’s audience, possibly pivoting to attacking President Joe Biden. Trump’s team has bragged about poll numbers that show a commanding lead over the Florida governor, and he could use Wednesday night’s event to shift the focus to his likely general election opponent.

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The event could also be a turning point for the Trump campaign’s relationship with media outlets, which are perceived to be less friendly to the former president. Trump accepted an invitation from CNN as he is discussing skipping a planned debate on Fox News Channel in August.

Trump leads all other GOP candidates in the presidential primary in nearly every poll but has tended not to fare as well in polls putting him against Biden. The former president’s expected chief rival in the GOP primary, DeSantis, is reportedly set to announce his bid for president later this month.

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