ABC News, NBC News, and CNN decided against broadcasting President Donald Trump’s primetime speech on election security live. The speech addressed claims about vulnerabilities in the 2020 election. Trump alleged that important information was hidden from the public and accused China of interfering in the election. He mentioned documents from the CIA and FBI that suggest the Chinese Communist Party opposed his reelection and tried to create illegal ballots for Joe Biden.
Before the speech, networks developed their coverage plans. CNN planned to cover the speech as a news event, providing analysis and commentary. A CNN spokesperson stated the network aimed to verify the documents independently due to Trump’s history of making misleading statements. CNN offered the speech on its website and streaming service. Anchor John King mentioned this approach to viewers to ensure accuracy of information.
ABC News provided coverage via its streaming platform and radio. NBC News also streamed the address, later airing a special report. Both networks quickly summarized Trump’s comments in special reports after the speech aired. However, certain stations, such as those owned by Sinclair Broadcasting Group, showed the speech live.
During the speech, Trump criticized ABC and NBC as “fake news,” claiming they avoided the broadcast because they were aware of what he described as a corrupt system. He accused these networks of being part of a plot to hide election fraud and protect left-wing interests. He suggested they should have their broadcasting licenses revoked due to dishonesty.
CBS News broadcasted a special report, analyzing the remarks, then briefly airing Trump’s speech before cutting away. MSNBC carried the first 15 minutes live before switching to commentary. Fox News aired the entire speech.
Not airing presidential speeches is not new. In 2014, ABC, CBS, and NBC also chose not to air President Barack Obama’s speech on immigration. They similarly avoided President Joe Biden’s 2022 speech that criticized MAGA Republicans.