Third, by gifting viewers to the ailing CNN, Trump zings Fox News, which he’s now come to view as an enemy. Trump asks for bottomless loyalty and offers none. Once cozy with Fox, he now sees the network as a DeSantis ally and has accused Rupert Murdoch of “aiding & abetting the DESTRUCTION OF AMERICA.” Why? Because depositions in Dominion’s lawsuit against Fox revealed that network executives didn’t really believe the 2020 election was stolen. If Trump can no longer get Fox to do his bidding, at least he can make it pay, in viewers, for its betrayal.
Fourth, if the town hall yields CNN a large viewership, it will ensure that the media remain addicted to all things Trump. Donald Trump feeds on attention, and networks know Trump is good for ratings. The media’s “Trump slump” in the wake of his losing the 2020 election was a real phenomenon. He knows that CNN is in turmoil and its ratings are plummeting. This, from Trump’s standpoint, is leverage. They need him. And if they get a significant boost from his town hall, it won’t be lost on other outlets. The Trump-media symbiosis of 2016 did both parties a world of good. He’s looking to rekindle the relationship.
And fifth, Trump’s making a deal with CNN is unexpected, and doing the unexpected is part of his allure. His impulsiveness and inconstancy fascinate. Sometimes this makes him ridiculous, as when he improvised on light and disinfectant to combat Covid. But many who claim to be sick of the man nevertheless retain their capacity to be shocked by him. If a typical presidential candidate agreed to a CNN interview, no one would care. When Trump does it, he brings with him a context that renders it instant news. People are already losing their heads over it.
Including the gals on The View: The View hosts react to CNN hosting ‘racist,’ ‘sexist,’ ‘bigot’ Trump for town hall.
Flashback to 2016: Donald Trump Rode $5 Billion in Free Media to the White House.