Donald Trump on Sunday said CNN’s Caitlan Collins was “not exactly Barbara Walters” during a town hall last week.
The former president’s scathing reference to pioneer television journalist Walters, who died in late 2022, continued his Jekyll and Hyde treatment of Collins, who moderated his first CNN on-air appearance in years.
He called her a “nasty person” as she pressed for an answer to a question, but later told her she had done a “good job”.
Meanwhile, he interrupted Collins, told lies about the 2020 election, dodged questions, did fact-checks and remained antagonistic.
On Truth Social Sunday, he noted the criticism CNN and its CEO Chris Licht have received for their handling of the event.
“It’s truly amazing to watch the head of CNN get absolutely blasted for asking me to do a so-called Town Hall,” he wrote. “Honestly, no one had a problem with what she wanted to do until the show started, when they quickly realized that Ms. Collins was not exactly Barbara Walters, or even close. Then the problems started from the radical left.
Trump then lashed out at Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (DN.Y.), who joined the chorus of disapproval over CNN giving Trump such a platform.
“A neurotic little AOC with a bad-looking boyfriend gone mad,” he said. “He owns CNN, he’s in their head,” they shouted. CNN, get the GREAT RATINGS!”
Last week, Collins defended himself and the network.
“The 70 minutes I spent on stage in New Hampshire with former President Donald Trump was a major turning point in the search for his GOP nominee and potentially the starting line for America’s next presidential race,” she said. “It’s important to remember that he’s currently the leader of the Republican Party, a race he’s running, as noted, while he’s been criminally charged, held civilly liable, and under investigation for everything from his handling of classified documents to his business dealings empire. “

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