Trump’s CNN town hall is payback to Fox News for promoting DeSantis: conservative

A conservative commentator on Monday suggested that Donald Trump’s agreement to participate in a CNN town hall next week is payback to Fox News over the right-wing network’s promotion of the former president’s top rival.

CNN earlier in the day announced that the GOP frontrunner will participate in a New Hampshire presidential town hall on May 10. The town hall will be hosted by Kaitlan Collins.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis hasn’t entered the 2024 race yet but is widely considered the most Trump’s most formidable challenger, although the former president owns a substantial lead in most polls.

Former George W. Bush speechwriter David Frum tweeted that “Trump using CNN to punish Fox for its big tilt to DeSantis.”

The Guardian’s Hugo Lowell reports that the arrangement between the former president and the cable channel he for years described as “fake news” is part of a broader agreement.

“People close to Trump say he’s taking part in understanding that campaign could get more surrogates on air — though CNN denies such an arrangement,” Lowell tweeted.

According to the CNN news release, the town hall "will feature the former president taking questions from New Hampshire Republicans and undeclared voters who plan to vote in the 2024 GOP presidential primary."