“It’s 2015 all over again”: CNN slammed for making “compelling pitch” to Trump for ratings

Former President Donald Trump is scheduled to headline a May 10 CNN town hall at St. Anselm College in New Hampshire.

The network announced on Monday that anchor Kaitlan Collins will moderate the town hall which will “feature the former president taking questions from New Hampshire Republicans and undeclared voters who plan to vote in the 2024 GOP presidential primary.” The event will mark Trump’s first appearance on the network since 2016.

“CNN executives made a compelling pitch,” a Trump advisor told Semafor, adding that Trump “is running to be president for all Americans.” 

“Going outside the traditional Republican ‘comfort zone’ was a key to President Trump’s success in 2016,” the advisor said. “Some other candidates are too afraid to take this step in their quest to defeat Joe Biden, and are afraid to do anything other than Fox News.”

The advisor added Trump’s participation in the town hall is part of an effort “to jumpstart the relationship” between CNN and Trump’s team.

Guardian reporter Hugo Lowell tweeted that people close to Trump “say he’s taking part in understanding that campaign could get more surrogates on air,” adding that “CNN denies such an arrangement.”

The news of Trump’s attending the town hall received mixed reviews, with many accusing CNN of adding the ex-president to the fray to boost ratings.

“It’s 2015 all over again,” tweeted pundit Cheri Jacobus.

Political commentator and former MSNBC host Keith Olbermann called CNN’s decision to include Trump “journalistic suicide.” 

CNN CEO Chris Licht’s conversion of CNN “into a political and journalistic whorehouse is complete,” he added.

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“First, CNN systematically purged anyone on the network who was deemed too anti-Trump,” argued journalist and attorney Judd Legum. “Now this.”

Political commentator David Rothkopf said it was “irresponsible” for CNN to host the town hall. 

“That said it’ll also be a litmus test as to whether CNN seeks to be taken seriously as a journalistic organization going forward,” he wrote. “Failing to address the coup attempt, his legal woes, his impeachments, his lies will be disqualifying.”

Former MSNBC host and journalist Touré alleged that CNN’s Trump-inclusion “is what choosing profits over news looks like in action.”