TO UPDATE: CNN edited out Donald Trump’s indictment at Mar-a-Lago near its end, with host Anderson Cooper calling it a “rehash of every complaint” made by the former president.
Fox News delivered the 25-minute speech while MSNBC skipped it, with Rachel Maddow telling viewers it was a repeat of his previous complaints.
Trump’s speech was a bit of a test for broadcasters of how they will handle his presidential campaign after criticism over how Trump’s rallies were given extended, unfiltered airtime in the 2016 cycle compared to his GOP opponents. His speech tonight had the added justification of coming on the day of his unprecedented arrest and indictment, but Maddow told viewers: “We don’t believe it’s newsworthy and there’s a cost to us as a news organization if we knowingly spreading false information. “
Cooper indicated that the network was waiting for Trump to address the indictment, which he did about 20 minutes after his comments.
As he has done before at Truth Social, Trump attacked District Attorney Alvin Bragg and the case’s judge, Juan Merchan.
Trump called Bragg a “local district attorney who for the first time in history failed to indict a former president of the United States on the basis that every expert and legal analyst said, ‘There is no case. There is no matter.’”
“But it’s a lot worse than that because he knew there wasn’t a case,” Trump said, calling the charges “ridiculous.” He also called Merchan a “Trump-hating judge with a Trump-hating wife and family whose daughter worked for Kamala Harris.”
CNN planned to review Trump’s comments with Daniel Dale. CNN commentator Alyssa Farah Griffin, a former communications strategist for Trump, said his speech was “an expression of grievances, almost Donald Trump’s greatest hits.” But today he confirms his place as the consummate leader of the Republican Party.”
EARLIER: Donald Trump’s post-impeachment speech in Mar-a-Lago had the effect of a campaign rally as he moved into Proud to be an American and chants of “USA, USA, USA.”
“I never thought something like this could happen in America. I never thought this could happen,” Trump said as he aired a list of grievances about the numerous investigations he faces.
CNN and Fox News broadcast the speech live, but MSNBC did not, at least not for now.
Rachel Maddow, who specifically covered the charge, told viewers, “As far as we can tell, this is basically a campaign speech where he repeats the same lies and accusations against his perceived enemies.”
She said Trump aired his “normal list of grievances”.
“We don’t think it’s newsworthy, and there’s a cost to us as a news organization if we knowingly spread untrue things,” she said in a nod to Fox News’ Dominion revelations. She said the network will continue to monitor the speech for newsworthy news.
The broadcasters stuck to their regular program after interrupting their schedule earlier in the day for special reports on the indictment in New York.
Source: Deadline
Mary Crossley is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. She is a seasoned journalist who is dedicated to delivering the latest news to her readers. With a keen sense of what’s important, Mary covers a wide range of topics, from politics to lifestyle and everything in between.
