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CNN Host Explains Why Network Snubbed Trump’s ‘False’ Speech

The network confirmed its decision on-air one hour before the president’s primetime address.

CNN host John King revealed why the network refused to air President Donald Trump’s primetime address Thursday night.

King confirmed the network’s decision at the top of the 8 p.m. hour during Anderson Cooper 360, saying the choice was due to Trump’s previous false statements on the topic of election integrity.

“We’re going to be watching and listening to what he says tonight, and we will bring you any breaking news ASAP, but we are not going to take the president’s speech live,” King said. “That’s because of this president’s history of misleading and, in some cases, false statements on the subject of elections and election integrity.”

“Also because the White House earlier today said he’ll be showing newly declassified documents and we want to make sure we have time to review them, to contextualize whatever he says, or shows, before airing it,” King added.

King repeated the announcement later in the broadcast as well.

A CNN spokesperson told the Daily Beast in a previous statement that the network would “cover the president’s speech as a news event, and monitor it for news development, providing analysis and commentary from CNN experts who cover elections, intelligence, and the FBI.”

The spokesperson added that a live feed of the address would be available on the network’s website and its streaming platform.

The president’s least favorite news network joined two other major broadcasters, ABC News and NBC News, in the decision not to air the 80-year-old president’s speech live Thursday night.

Both ABC News and NBC News announced similar coverage plans, with both networks continuing their regularly scheduled programming while providing live feeds of Trump’s speech on their respective streaming platforms.

The content of the president’s speech largely centered on claims of foreign interference in the 2020 presidential election, which Trump lost to former President Joe Biden.

During his 26-minute and 24-second speech, he announced declassified intelligence reports from government agencies related to supposed election meddling by China, voter registration fraud in Michigan, and non-citizens on voter rolls.

During her press briefing earlier in the day, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that what Trump is set to announce “will shock you.”

Trump has repeatedly asserted baseless claims of election fraud since he lost the election, with his rhetoric and actions sparking the Jan. 6 Capitol riot in 2021.

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Vic VerbalaitisNight Breaking News Reporter

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