Former President Donald Trump is calling for ABC News to lose its broadcast license following a contentious debate where his answers were fact-checked in real-time. During a post-debate interview with Fox News, Trump blasted ABC, claiming the network was biased and unfair. He labeled the debate a “rigged deal” and criticized the moderators for frequently correcting his statements while failing to fact-check Vice President Kamala Harris.
Donald Trump suggested that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) should revoke ABC’s broadcast license, saying, “They ought to take away their license for the way they did that.” However, the FCC issues licenses to individual broadcast stations, not networks, making Trump’s demand legally difficult to achieve. Such action could also trigger lawsuits citing First Amendment protections. Trump’s comments mirror his earlier threats against media organizations during his presidency, though none resulted in network shutdowns.
Fact-Checking Sparks Trump’s Outrage
The debate moderators fact-checked Trump on topics such as the January 6 Capitol riot, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and abortion, which appeared to frustrate the former president. Trump expressed dissatisfaction with what he believed was one-sided scrutiny, claiming that the moderators “refused to correct” what he called misstatements by Harris. He also alleged without evidence that Harris may have had access to the debate questions beforehand, comparing the situation to the 2016 debate with Hillary Clinton, where leaked emails revealed that Clinton had received advance notice of some questions.
Donald Trump’s grievances extended beyond ABC’s moderators. He also took aim at Fox News hosts Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum for their post-debate analysis, which he felt was critical of his performance. Trump expressed a preference for more favorable Fox News personalities like Sean Hannity or Jesse Waters to moderate future debates, underscoring his dissatisfaction with how the debate was conducted.
Donald Trump’s Campaign Reacts as Harris Calls for a Rematch
Despite Donald Trump’s public complaints about ABC, his campaign seized on the opportunity to fundraise, sending out an email with the subject line “I love ABC News.” The email quoted Trump describing his debate performance as a “total BLOWOUT!” in a bid to rally his supporters and maintain campaign momentum. The former president also praised CNN for its coverage, contrasting it with ABC’s “dishonest” handling of the debate.
Meanwhile, Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign quickly called for a second debate in October, hoping to capitalize on what they perceived as a strong showing. Harris’s campaign chair, Jen O’Malley Dillon, noted that the American public had seen a clear contrast between moving forward with Harris or “going backward with Trump.” Trump, however, remained non-committal about participating in another debate, saying he would need to think about it. As the political stakes heighten, both campaigns are preparing for what could be a high-stakes rematch.
Donald Trump’s Reluctance to Engage in Additional Debates
Former President Donald Trump, who had initially pushed for three debates against President Joe Biden last month, remains uncertain about engaging in future debates. After Biden’s surprising withdrawal from the race, the debate negotiations shifted, sparking fresh discussions about a potential matchup on ABC between Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris. However, Trump’s reluctance was evident when he sat down with Fox News’ Sean Hannity in the spin room after the recent debate.
When Hannity broached the subject of another debate with Harris, Trump remained non-committal. “I don’t know; I have to think about it,” he remarked. Trump expressed skepticism about the need for another face-off, especially since he felt victorious in the previous debate. Drawing a comparison to boxing, Trump said, “That’s what happens when you’re a prize fighter, and you lose — you immediately want a new fight.” He hinted that if a fairer network hosted the debate, he might reconsider, but noted that the ABC moderators seemed biased, claiming it was “three against one” due to their fact-checking interjections.
Post-Debate Reactions and Harris’ Victory in Polls
Despite his hesitance, Trump gave himself high marks for his performance, calling it his “best debate ever,” though he also expressed frustrations with the moderators. Hannity pressed Trump once more about the possibility of another debate, to which Trump suggested the only reason to participate would be if one had lost, stating, “But I’ll think about it.” Trump entered the debate with significant experience, having participated in several presidential and primary debates. In contrast, Harris had ended her campaign early during the 2020 Democratic primaries, making this matchup unique.
A CNN snap poll conducted shortly after the debate showed Harris emerging as the winner, with 63% of viewers favoring her performance over Trump’s 37%. One of the key moments during the debate came when Harris mocked Trump’s rallies, quipping, “People start leaving his rallies early out of exhaustion and boredom.” Trump fired back, accusing Harris of busing attendees to her events and using AI-generated imagery to make her rallies appear full — a claim that has been debunked. Trump’s more controversial remarks during the debate included a claim that migrants were eating pets in Ohio, which quickly earned a fact check from the moderator. Harris, in response, laughed and called Trump’s remarks “extreme.”
