Just days before the ABC News Presidential Debate, former President Donald Trump criticized the network and some of its prominent figures.
Trump is set to face off against Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday in Philadelphia, with ABC News moderating the debate.
During a press conference on Friday, Trump claimed that ABC is "very hostile territory" for him, suggesting the network may show favoritism toward Harris due to her connections with a senior executive.
“I’m going into very hostile territory shortly for a debate with ABC, George Slopodopoulos [sic], and that group. ABC, in my opinion, is the worst. They’re the nastiest, as bad as it gets,” Trump remarked. “They’re even worse than NBC, which is saying a lot.”
TRUMP, HARRIS CAMPAIGNS CLASH OVER DEBATE RULES: ‘WE SAID NO CHANGES’
Former President Donald Trump has filed a defamation lawsuit against ABC News and host George Stephanopoulos, following repeated on-air claims that Trump was "found liable for rape" during a March 10 interview with Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C.
In addition to the lawsuit, Trump criticized ABC News ahead of his upcoming debate with Vice President Kamala Harris. He claimed the network is biased due to personal connections between Harris and ABC leadership. “The only reason I’m doing it is because that’s the only one [Kamala] would agree to, because her best friend is the head of ABC, or ABC News, and her husband’s best friend is married to that one,” Trump remarked.
According to The New York Times, Dana Walden, a senior Disney executive overseeing ABC News, is one of Harris' “extraordinary friends.” The two have known each other since 1994, while their husbands, Matt Walden and Doug Emhoff, have been friends since the 1980s.
Trump also pointed to Donna Brazile’s role at ABC, recalling her controversial past. "Donna Brazile is there. You remember when she gave Hillary Clinton the debate questions? That was a little embarrassing. She got fired for that, I assume. Now she’s at ABC."
Former President Trump is suing ABC News and George Stephanopoulos for defamation. (LEFT: Photographer: Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images, RIght: (Photo by Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images))
HARRIS CAMPAIGN AGREES TO ABC PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE RULES WITH SOME 'ASSURANCES:' REPORT
In 2016, a leaked email revealed that then-Democratic National Committee Chair and CNN contributor Donna Brazile had shared a debate question in advance with the Hillary Clinton campaign, despite Brazile's repeated denials. Following the controversy, CNN announced that Brazile had resigned, and the network accepted her resignation just days after the scandal broke.
Despite his belief that ABC News will favor Vice President Kamala Harris in the upcoming debate, former President Donald Trump stated that he remains confident in his ability to outperform her.
"So, I said I’ll do it anyway, because even if she knows the answers and the questions, I don’t think she’ll perform well," Trump stated. "This isn’t what our country wants, and I feel obligated to participate. She’d never stand up here and hold a press conference to address the weaponization of our justice system the way I do."
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