Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Trump Uses CNN Town Hall to Lie About Election & Abortion, Attack His Sexual Abuse Victim
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 2 years ago on
May 11, 2023

Share

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

NEW YORK — Donald Trump’s primetime return to CNN Wednesday for the first time since 2016 felt like a throwback: Trump with the long, twisting answers; the interviewer at times struggling to fact-check him or return his focus to the question at hand; and then, eventually, both talking over each other as Trump flings insults her way.

Wednesday’s town hall in New Hampshire was the first time in years that Trump faced prolonged questioning from an outlet outside the friendly confines of conservative media outlets of his choosing.

He had branded CNN “fake news” and never granted any of its journalists an interview while president. Trump’s campaign said he was appearing on the network now to step outside a GOP comfort zone as he already starts to turn his focus to a potential 2024 general election rematch with Democrat Joe Biden.

Trump’s appearance on CNN comes at a time of jarring dualities for the former president: The Republican is facing a crescendo of legal problems yet seems in a stronger position than ever to become his party’s presidential nominee. He’s attempting to reach mainstream media viewers despite having deepened his embrace of extremists since leaving the White House, continuing to align himself with those involved in the deadly Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection and dining with a Holocaust-denying white nationalist.

Here’s what to know about Trump’s CNN town hall:

QUESTIONS ON SEXUAL ABUSE CASE

Trump’s appearance came a day after a New York jury found him liable for sexually abusing a woman nearly 30 years ago and defaming her when she spoke about it publicly.

Jurors awarded columnist E. Jean Carroll $5 million in damages. The jury rejected her claim of rape and instead found Trump responsible for a lesser degree of sexual abuse. Trump denied it, saying he never encountered Carroll at a 1996 department store and did not know her and has said he plans to appeal the verdict.

Trump skipped attending the trial and did not testify in his own defense during the proceedings, with jurors instead being shown video from a pretrial deposition, making Wednesday the first time he’s had to face a public questioning in the case.

Trump, when asked by CNN moderator Kaitlan Collins about the verdict, said his poll numbers went up and repeated his statements that he didn’t know Carroll, though at least one photograph has surfaced of them together.

“I don’t know her. I never met her. I had no idea who she is.” He dismissed a question from Collins about whether it would impact his standing with female voters and in response, he launched into a recounting of Carroll’s claims in a mocking voice, drawing laughs and claps from the live audience. Collins tried to interrupt but Trump continued and called it “a fake story” and referred to Carroll as “a wack job.”

TRUMP’S TREATMENT OF WOMEN

Collins asked Trump about his comments in the infamous “Access Hollywood” video in which he bragged about grabbing women’s genitals without asking permission. The video was played in the trial and Collins asked him Wednesday if he stood by his remarks.

Trump defended his comments, saying he had said women let him grab their genitals without permission because he was a star.

“I can’t take that back because it happens to be true,” Trump said.

REPEATING ELECTION LIES

Trump, with his first question from Collins about why he should be elected again, started almost immediately by repeating his lies about the 2020 presidential election and repeating his unfounded claims of election fraud.

Striking a more muted tone than he usually uses onstage before his cheering supporters, Trump called it a “rigged election” and a “shame” before Collins cut him off, correcting his statements and asking him to publicly acknowledge his loss to Biden.

Trump did not, immediately returning to his false claims. As Collins continued to try to fact-check Trump, he interrupted again, calling for honest elections and then pivoting to other subjects like immigration.

He came back to his claims at other points in the town hall, sprinkling the lie into answers on unrelated subjects and prompting Collins to interrupt him and correct him.

DEFENSE OF JAN. 6 INSURRECTION

For more than two years, Trump had largely avoided sitting for any tough questioning about the lies he spread about his 2020 election loss that spurred the deadly insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. But the issue came up early Wednesday, when Collins asked Trump if he regretted his actions on that day.

The former president quickly began boasting about the size of the crowd he spoke to before some began marching on the Capitol and said the attendees believed the election was “rigged.”

“They were there proud. They were there with love in their heart. That was unbelievable and it was a beautiful day,” Trump said.

Collins pressed Trump on why he didn’t ask his supporters to leave the Capitol or send help to disperse the protesters, and he deflected, trying to cast blame on then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi. He at one point pulled out printed copies of his Twitter posts that day in which he finally, hours after the attack on the Capitol began, asked his supporters to leave the Capitol.

He said he was inclined, if elected president again, to pardon many of those convicted for their roles in the Jan. 6 attack. More than 1,000 people have been charged and more than 600 have been convicted so far.

FALSE ABORTION CLAIMS

Trump, responding to a question about the U.S. Supreme Court overturning abortion rights last year, took credit for appointing three of the justices who joined in the majority ruling, saying “it was such a great victory and people are starting to understand it now.”

He repeatedly falsely claimed that abortion rights supporters wanted to “kill a baby” in the ninth month of pregnancy or even after a birth. The claim is based on a misleading interpretation of a Senate vote. Trump also dodged questions about whether, if elected president again, he would sign a national abortion ban. Trump instead spoke about the court ruling as having given anti-abortion activists “negotiating ability.”

“What I will do is negotiate so people are happy,” he said, when asked if he would sign a federal abortion ban. He repeatedly said he would “do what’s right,” without specifying what that was.

NO ANSWERS ON UKRAINE

Trump repeated his praise of Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling him “a smart guy,” but said “he made a bad mistake” to invade Ukraine. Trump claimed, without evidence or explanation, that if he was still president Putin would never have invaded Ukraine. He said he had “a great relationship” with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, referencing his 2019 impeachment after pressuring Zelenskyy for “a favor” while withholding military aid.

Trump wouldn’t answer a question about whether he’d continue to send U.S. aid to Ukraine to keep fighting against Russia’s invasion, and he wouldn’t answer a question about who he wanted to win the war, only saying, “I want everybody to stop dying.”

KEEPING CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS

Trump defended his keeping of top-secret and confidential government documents at his Florida estate Mar-a-Lago, which is now the subject of a Justice Department probe.

“I had every right to do it. I didn’t make a secret of it,” Trump said.

Trump gave a vague answer when Collins asked if he ever showed the classified documents to anyone.

“Not really. I would have the right to,” the former president said.

“What do you mean ‘Not really?’” Collins asked.

“Not that I can think of,” Trump said.

Trump noted that other presidents and vice presidents had kept documents after leaving but didn’t mention that he refused to turn over documents even after receiving a subpoena.

SPARRING WITH COLLINS

Early on in the town hall, Collins gave Trump more leeway to respond to questions, allowing the president to steamroll through his answers and jump from topic to topic, sprinkling in false claims as she sometimes tried to interrupt. As the town hall went on and Collins jumped in earlier and more often to correct him or get him back on track, Trump got frustrated.

At one point, he repeated an insult he hurled at Hillary Clinton during their 2016 presidential debate, calling Collins “nasty.”

In a back-and-forth about the classified documents at Mar-a-Lago, Trump and Collins were talking over each other and Trump at one point declared: “You’re so wrong. You don’t know the subject.”

“I do know the subject,” she retorted.

The audience, made up of Republicans and independents, was largely favorable to Trump and laughed and cheered as he made his points.

“I like you guys,” Trump told the crowd at the end.

RELATED TOPICS:

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Trump Administration Appeals Court Ruling on AP Journalists’ Re-Admission

DON'T MISS

Warriors Stunned by Spurs on Harrison Barnes’ Late 3-Pointer

DON'T MISS

Wonton Serves up a Big Dish of Playful Companionship

DON'T MISS

Egg Prices Increase to Record High Despite Trump’s Predictions and Bird Flu Outbreak Slowing

DON'T MISS

This Flour Makes Gluten-Free Baking So Good

DON'T MISS

Inflation Eased Sharply in March

DON'T MISS

Prada Agrees to Buy Rival Fashion House Versace in a Deal Valued at $1.4 Billion

DON'T MISS

Kings County Man Arrested After Allegedly Sexually Threatening Women

DON'T MISS

EU Pauses New Tariffs on US Goods After Trump Backs Down

DON'T MISS

US Stock Indexes Drop 2% Despite an Encouraging Inflation Update

UP NEXT

Warriors Stunned by Spurs on Harrison Barnes’ Late 3-Pointer

UP NEXT

Wonton Serves up a Big Dish of Playful Companionship

UP NEXT

Egg Prices Increase to Record High Despite Trump’s Predictions and Bird Flu Outbreak Slowing

UP NEXT

This Flour Makes Gluten-Free Baking So Good

UP NEXT

Inflation Eased Sharply in March

UP NEXT

Prada Agrees to Buy Rival Fashion House Versace in a Deal Valued at $1.4 Billion

UP NEXT

Kings County Man Arrested After Allegedly Sexually Threatening Women

UP NEXT

EU Pauses New Tariffs on US Goods After Trump Backs Down

UP NEXT

US Stock Indexes Drop 2% Despite an Encouraging Inflation Update

UP NEXT

California’s Effort to Hold Oil Companies Liable for Natural Disaster Damage Stalls

Egg Prices Increase to Record High Despite Trump’s Predictions and Bird Flu Outbreak Slowing

16 minutes ago

This Flour Makes Gluten-Free Baking So Good

25 minutes ago

Inflation Eased Sharply in March

34 minutes ago

Prada Agrees to Buy Rival Fashion House Versace in a Deal Valued at $1.4 Billion

51 minutes ago

Kings County Man Arrested After Allegedly Sexually Threatening Women

54 minutes ago

EU Pauses New Tariffs on US Goods After Trump Backs Down

1 hour ago

US Stock Indexes Drop 2% Despite an Encouraging Inflation Update

1 hour ago

California’s Effort to Hold Oil Companies Liable for Natural Disaster Damage Stalls

16 hours ago

Trump: Israel Would Be ‘Leader’ of Iran Strike if Tehran Doesn’t Give Up Nuke Program

16 hours ago

California Families Question if College Benefits Outweigh Increasing Costs

16 hours ago

Trump Administration Appeals Court Ruling on AP Journalists’ Re-Admission

The Trump administration said Wednesday it would appeal a federal court decision that ordered it to re-admit Associated Press journalists to...

10 minutes ago

FILE - The Associated Press logo is shown at the entrance to the news organization's office in New York on Thursday, July 13, 2023. (AP File)
10 minutes ago

Trump Administration Appeals Court Ruling on AP Journalists’ Re-Admission

13 minutes ago

Warriors Stunned by Spurs on Harrison Barnes’ Late 3-Pointer

Wonton, GV Wire's Adoptable Pet of the Week, April 9, 2025
16 minutes ago

Wonton Serves up a Big Dish of Playful Companionship

A carton of eggs sit on a counter in the kitchen inside of 5 Rabanitos restaurant in Chicago, Feb. 16, 2025. (AP File)
16 minutes ago

Egg Prices Increase to Record High Despite Trump’s Predictions and Bird Flu Outbreak Slowing

25 minutes ago

This Flour Makes Gluten-Free Baking So Good

Shoppers come and go at a Costco in Marina Del Rey, Calif., April 4, 2025. The Consumer Price Index climbed 2.4% in March compared to a year earlier, a far slower pace than February’s 2.8% increase. Policymakers and economists say the latest data is only a temporary reprieve as tariffs risk stoking higher inflation. (Mark Abramson/The New York Times)
34 minutes ago

Inflation Eased Sharply in March

A logo of Prada is seen at a store in Hong Kong Sunday, June 12, 2011. (AP File)
51 minutes ago

Prada Agrees to Buy Rival Fashion House Versace in a Deal Valued at $1.4 Billion

Anthony Lee Maldonado, 40, of Hanford, was arrested Wednesday, April 9, 2025, after allegedly making sexually threatening remarks to two women near the Kings County Government Center. (Kings County SO)
54 minutes ago

Kings County Man Arrested After Allegedly Sexually Threatening Women

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend