Trump calls NBC News ‘fake’ before getting an hour of free airtime from the network
He puts the attitude in gratitude.
Rather than thanking NBC News for hosting a Thursday night Town Hall opposite that of his political rival on a competing network, President Trump tweeted an insult at the Peacock Network.
“I will be doing a major Fake @NBCNews Town Hall Forum, live tonight from Miami, at 8:00 P.M.,” the president tweeted late Thursday afternoon.
NBC has endured heavy criticism for giving Trump an hour of airtime after he refused to participate in a virtual debate with Democratic Joe Biden.
Trump and Biden were initially slated to face-off Thursday for their second of three scheduled debates. After the president tested positive for COVID-19, the Commission on Presidential Debates decided that for the sake of safety, the candidates should not physically share a stage. Trump refused to debate virtually. Biden then accepted ABC’s invitation to appear solo for a town hall.
On Wednesday, comfortable that the president is not a contagion risk, NBC extended its platform to Trump in the same time slot as Biden. More than 100 upset showbiz professionals sent a letter of protest to NBC, according to the Wall Street Journal. Critics have faulted the network for rewarding Trump’s obstinacy.
In his tweet, the president blasted C-Span producer Steve Scully, who was scheduled to moderate the cancelled debate. Scully was suspended by C-Span after falsely claiming a tweet about the president was the result of his Twitter account being hacked.
I will be doing a major Fake @NBCNews Town Hall Forum, live tonight from Miami, at 8:00 P.M. They asked me to do it in place of the Rigged Steve Scully (he is now suspended from @cspan for lying) Debate. I wonder if they’ll treat me as well as Sleepy Joe? They should!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 15, 2020
The president, who frequently complains reporters pick on him and favor his opponents, also asked in his tweet if NBC would give him the friendly treatment the network shows Biden, in his opinion.
“I wonder if they’ll treat me as well as Sleepy Joe?” Trump asked. “They should!”
Former Vice President Biden held an Oct. 5 town hall meeting on NBC. The network reportedly found it important to give Trump the same opportunity.
