Trump calls ABC News the ‘cruelest’ network days before crucial debate

Former President Donald Trump again lashed out at ABC News and its veteran anchors ahead of Tuesday’s presidential debate, calling it the “worst” and “most dishonest” network on television.

“ABC is the worst network in terms of integrity,” Trump told Fox News host Sean Hannity during a “town hall event” on Wednesday. “It’s the most dishonest network, the meanest, the nastiest, but that’s what I was introduced to. I was introduced to ABC, George Slopadopoulos. He’s a nasty guy.”

Trump has repeatedly criticized ABC, which has hosted the presidential debate since Vice President Kamala Harris secured the Democratic nomination. He has complained that he will not face President Joe Biden, who ended his reelection campaign after the June 27 debate. He has repeatedly suggested that he might pull out of Tuesday’s debate in Philadelphia, calling ABC “fake news” and saying it has hired a “Trump-hating panel.”

Harris and Trump have sparred over the rules of the debate, with the vice president’s team pushing to keep the microphones live at all times. But her campaign ultimately agreed Wednesday to a set of rules similar to those in place for Trump’s debate with Biden, including muted microphones when the opposing candidate speaks and no live audience.

Trump quickly began questioning the integrity of the event and suggested, without evidence, that Harris had an advantage over him.

“They are very nasty. I think a lot of people will watch how nasty they are,” the former president said of ABC.

He then claimed the vice president would be asked questions in advance. ABC denied this would happen, saying agreed rules meant no topics or questions would be given to any candidate in advance.

“You can give her questions and give her answers along with the questions. I’m not sure that will help her,” he added.

ABC requested that the debate be presented as a fair meeting of both sides, noting that both the Trump campaign and Harris had agreed to the rules.

“Other than the debate rules released today, which were mutually agreed to by the two campaigns on May 15, we have not entered into any other agreements,” an ABC spokesperson told media outlets this week. “We look forward to moderating the presidential debate next Tuesday.”

The debate will be moderated by World News Tonight presenter and editor-in-chief David Muir and ABC News Live Prime presenter Linsey Davis.

Related…