CNN Boss Doubles Down on Disastrous Trump Town Hall

CNN CEO Chris Licht on Thursday defended the network’s decision to host its town hall with Donald Trump as staff woke up to a blizzard of criticism about the calamitous broadcast, during which the former president regurgitated his lies about the 2020 election, distorted his record in office, and mocked a woman whom a jury just found him liable for sexually assaulting.

On a 9 a.m. editorial call, Licht praised the performance of moderator Kaitlan Collins, who battled in vain for 70 minutes on Wednesday night to push back against a tsunami of falsehoods spewed by Trump as an approving New Hampshire audience laughed and applauded. “I absolutely unequivocally believe America was served very well by what we did last night,” Licht told staff.