Wednesday May 10, 2023
Just one day after a jury found him guilty in the sexual assault and defamation case against E Jean Carroll, former President Donald Trump will participate in a CNN town hall Wednesday night.
The town hall will be hosted by CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins at 8 p.m. at St. Anselm College in New Hampshire. Former President Trump will answer questions from his voters in the early voting state.
Town hall attendees will also ask Trump about his bid for the Oval Office, despite facing legal challenges.
Yesterday, a New York jury said Trump abused the advice of columnist E Jean Carroll 27 years ago and ordered the 76-year-old to pay her $5 million in damages for her assault and defamation allegations.
Because E Jean Carroll's case was a civil one, the jury's verdict did not include criminal charges, however the additional charges he faces for business fraud and election interference could result in a felony conviction.
The former president wrote on his social network Truth Social: "They made me a deal I couldn't refuse!!!"
This could be the start of a New [and] live CNN, with no more fake news, or it could turn into a disaster for everyone, including me. Let's see what happens shall we? Wednesday night at 8:00!!!,” he noted.
Last month, Trump was indicted on 34 criminal charges that included paying adult film star Stormy Daniels to crucify him during his 2016 bid. The former president has denied all charges and pleaded not guilty before a Manhattan grand jury.
The 2024 presidential candidate also faces lawsuits in Georgia for allegedly using his influence to influence the outcome of the 2020 election. The special counsel is also investigating the former president's role in the Jan. 6 attack on Capitol Hill and the mishandling of classified documents.
Despite his legal troubles, Donald Trump is leading his campaign and securing Republican primary voters.
A poll earlier this month showed Trump with a 34-point lead over his closest rival, Ron DeSantis, the Florida governor who is likely to announce his presidential campaign in the coming weeks.
Trump's CNN town hall appearance will be his first since the 2016 presidential campaign, which he has repeatedly called "fake news."
CNN has been criticized for giving Trump a platform to possibly repeat the lies that contributed to the deadly uprising at the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
According to a CNN spokesperson, "This town hall is part of CNN's long-standing tradition of hosting leading presidential candidates for town halls and political events, connecting those running for office directly with voters as part of extensive campaign coverage."
The spokesperson added, "CNN is no stranger to these types of events, and this town hall will be the first of many in the 2024 election cycle."
