CNN's Trump town hall spectacularly backfires as ratings fall

54 articles, oldest first.

1. Forbes

   Donald Trump Says CNN Town Hall ‘Could Turn Into A Disaster For All’ ↗ (opens Forbes)

   Published May 8, 2023

   Forbes's feed description

   Ahead of his first appearance on CNN in years, former President Donald Trump said Wednesday night's town hall showed CNN was "desperate to get those fantastic (TRUMP!) ratings once again."

2. Washington Examiner

   Trump town hall brings more than 3 million viewers to CNN, per early ratings ↗ (opens Washington Examiner)

   Published May 10, 2023

   Washington Examiner's feed description

   CNN's live town hall event with former President Donald Trump proved to be a ratings boon for the network, according to early ratings data.

3. Breitbart News

   CNN's Trump Town Hall Yields Ratings 5x Higher than Typical Night ↗ (opens Breitbart News)

   Published May 10, 2023

   Breitbart News's feed description

   CNN's town hall with former President Donald Trump reportedly yielded ratings about five times higher than the network's typical viewership.

4. The Guardian

   Guardian’s panel on the Donald Trump CNN town hall ↗ (opens The Guardian)

   Published May 10, 2023

   The Guardian's feed description

   Lies, ridicule and applause from a pliable audience – the ex-president gave the audience what they came for, much to the discredit of CNN

5. RedState

   Here’s How We Know CNN Realized They Made a Big Mistake With Trump Town Hall ↗ (opens RedState)

   Published May 10, 2023

   RedState's feed description

   CNN execs woke up to a firestorm of criticism in the aftermath of the Trump town hall.

6. Media Matters for America

   CNN’s disastrous Trump town hall was exactly what its leaders want ↗ (opens Media Matters for America)

   Published May 10, 2023

7. PoliticusUSA

   CNN Trump Town Hall Flops With Ratings Lower Than 2016 ↗ (opens PoliticusUSA)

   Published May 10, 2023

   PoliticusUSA's feed description

   The ratings are in for CNN's Trump town hall, and the special only drew the audience for an average Tucker Carlson show.

8. Washington Times

   Starved for ratings, CNN airs Trump’s ‘election denialism’ in prime time ↗ (opens Washington Times)

   Published May 10, 2023

   Washington Times's feed description

   All things considered, CNN’s Kaitlan Collins did a fine job moderating Wednesday night’s Republican town hall with former President Donald Trump in New Hampshire.

9. Media Matters for America

   Right-wing media celebrate CNN’s town hall with Donald Trump ↗ (opens Media Matters for America)

   Published May 10, 2023

10. The Guardian

    CNN head defends Trump’s lie-strewn town hall: ‘America was served very well’ ↗ (opens The Guardian)

    Published May 10, 2023

    The Guardian's feed description

    Chris Licht boasts that network ‘made a lot of news’ in call to angry staff but CNN reporter laments Trump’s ‘firehose of disinformation’

11. Newsweek

    CNN's Trump town hall sparks avalanche of criticism ↗ (opens Newsweek)

    Published May 10, 2023

    Newsweek's feed description

    The former president's estranged niece Mary Trump said that CNN was "anti-American" and was helping her uncle "destroy our country."

12. PoliticusUSA

    Trump's CNN Town Hall Is A Total Disaster ↗ (opens PoliticusUSA)

    Published May 10, 2023

    PoliticusUSA's feed description

    CNN's Kaitlin Collins is being steamrolled by Trump who has pushed 2020 election lies, promised to pardon the 1/6 insurrectionists, and smeared E. Jean Carroll.

13. Newsweek

    CNN reporter blasts network over Donald Trump town hall—'spectacle of lies' ↗ (opens Newsweek)

    Published May 10, 2023

    Newsweek's feed description

    The broadcaster's senior media reporter Oliver Darcy has said CNN is facing "a fury of criticism — both internally and externally over the event."

14. New York Post

    Donald Trump’s CNN Town Hall live updates: Liberal journalists, AOC blast network over event: ‘Lost total contol’ ↗ (opens New York Post)

    Published May 10, 2023

    New York Post's feed description

    CNN faced the wrath of numerous lefty journalists and politicos over its town hall featuring former President Trump Wednesday night.

15. Latin Times

    Trump On CNN Town Hall: Liberal Journalists, AOC Blast Network, 'Lost Total Contol' ↗ (opens Latin Times)

    Published May 10, 2023

    Latin Times's feed description

    Trump took part in the event moderated by anchor Kaitlan Collins and fielded questions from local Republicans as well as undecided voters at St. Anselm College.

16. Insider

    CNN's Trump town hall drew 3.1 million viewers — about what Tucker Carlson's top-rated Fox News show pulled before he was canned ↗ (opens Insider)

    Published May 10, 2023

    Insider's feed description

    CNN's town hall with former President Donald Trump was heavily criticized, but CEO Chris Licht is likely to be pleased with the high ratings.

17. The Washington Free Beacon

    CNN Railed Against Platforming Donald Trump. Now It's Hosting a Trump Town Hall. ↗ (opens The Washington Free Beacon)

    Published May 10, 2023

    The Washington Free Beacon's feed description

    Following former president Donald Trump's loss in the 2020 election, CNN's hosts railed against outlets that platformed him and other "election-deniers," saying they had "fear of isolating Donald Trump.

18. Forbes

    3.1 Million Viewers Watch CNN’s Trump Town Hall ↗ (opens Forbes)

    Published May 10, 2023

    Forbes's feed description

    CNN took a rare ratings victory in prime time Wednesday night, with the network’s town hall featuring former President Donald Trump drawing 3.1 million viewers, according to early overnight Nielsen ratings.

19. Washington Times

    As CNN hosts Trump town hall, media leftists hardest hit ↗ (opens Washington Times)

    Published May 10, 2023

    Washington Times's feed description

    CNN’s town hall Wednesday night with former President Donald Trump offered a lot more than just a glimpse of the campaign he’s going to run in the 2024 Republican primaries.

20. Fox News

    Liberals rage over CNN's 'disgusting' Trump town hall: 'This insanity should be pulled off the f---ing air' ↗ (opens Fox News)

    Published May 10, 2023

    Fox News's feed description

    CNN faced brutal incoming from liberals over Wednesday's town hall featuring former President Trump, with critics saying the network "failed journalism."

21. The Hollywood Reporter

    CNN Slammed for “Shameful” Trump Town Hall: “You Failed Journalism and Our Country” ↗ (opens The Hollywood Reporter)

    Published May 10, 2023

    The Hollywood Reporter's feed description

    CEO Chris Licht, in particular, came in for ferocious criticism for platforming the former president.

22. The Atlantic

    The Worst Thing to Come Out of Trump’s Town Hall Didn’t Come From Trump ↗ (opens The Atlantic)

    Published May 10, 2023

    The Atlantic's feed description

    When CNN treated its event as a means of making news, it had already lost the battle.

23. Media Matters for America

    Mainstream journalists and other media figures slam CNN for disastrous town hall with former President Donald Trump ↗ (opens Media Matters for America)

    Published May 10, 2023

24. Semafor

    ‘America was served very well by what we did last night’: CNN chairman defends Trump town hall ↗ (opens Semafor)

    Published May 10, 2023

    Semafor's feed description

    Chris Licht said he heard the backlash to CNN's town hall with former U.S. President Donald Trump, but offered praise for moderator Kaitlan Collins.

25. Newsweek

    Donald Trump CNN town hall highlights—Five key takeaways from interview ↗ (opens Newsweek)

    Published May 10, 2023

    Newsweek's feed description

    The former president was pressed on a range of issues in his first appearance on the network since 2016, including his voter fraud claims and E. Jean Carroll.

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