CNN facing 'fury' from staffers over Trump town hall: 'It felt like 2016 all over again'

CNN is facing a "a fury of criticism" from its own employees for airing a town hall with former President Donald Trump on Wednesday, according to the network’s own media reporter. 

"It's hard to see how America was served by the spectacle of lies that aired on CNN," Oliver Darcy wrote in CNN’s "Reliable Sources" newsletter. 

Trump, the frontrunner in the 2024 Republican primary, sparred with CNN's Kaitlan Collins over his ongoing claim that the 2020 presidential election was "rigged," the Jan. 6 Capitol riot and the recent verdict that found him liable for defamation and battery against his accuser E. Jean Carroll, whom he continued railing against to the amusement of some supporters in the audience. 

"CNN aired it all. On and on it went. It felt like 2016 all over again," Darcy complained. "Collins was put in an uncomfortable position, given the town hall was conducted in front of a Republican audience that applauded Trump, giving a sense of unintended endorsement to his shameful antics."

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CNN’s in-house media reporter continued to complain about the network, noting that "some news was made" but "the nation's eyes were transfixed on Trump's abuse of the platform that he was given." 

CNN famously went all in on then-candidate Trump in 2016, sometimes airing empty podiums to tease upcoming speaking events. At the time, many criticized CNN for relying on Trump to boost ratings, but the network did an about-face and eventually emerged as an anti-Trump platform. Trump countered by regularly mocking the network as "fake news" throughout his presidency. 

Trump's town hall marked his first appearance on CNN since the 2016 presidential election. 

"While Collins is largely receiving praise for her relentless fact-checking of the former president, she was facing an impossible task. CNN and new network boss Chris Licht are facing a fury of criticism — both internally and externally over the event," Darcy wrote. 

"How Licht and other CNN executives address the criticism in the coming days and weeks will be crucial," he continued. "Will they defend what transpired at Saint Anselm College? Or will they express some regret?"

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CNN CEO Chris Licht defended the decision on Thursday morning in a call with staffers, according to former CNN media reporter Brian Stelter. 

Stelter, who founded the "Reliable Sources" newsletter and was fired by Licht last year, tweeted tidbits from the call. 

"You do not have to like the former president's answers, but you can't say that we didn't get them," Licht said, according to Stelter. ""While we all may have been uncomfortable hearing people clapping, that was also an important part of the story… America was served very well by what we did last night."

CNN’s newsletter also put a spotlight on the onslaught of criticism the network has received, including a Substack writer who called the town hall "CNN's lowest moment as an organization." Other media liberals like MSNBC's Mehdi Hasan have also been harshly critical of the event.

Not all CNN staffers were upset by the event, however, even ones who dislike Trump, with one insider praising Collins' performance.

"We live in a democratic republic and Trump is the frontrunner for the GOP nomination," they told Fox News Digital. "It’s not the media's job to silence a politician they don’t like. The format was messy, but voters need to hear from both of the frontrunners, Trump and Biden. And by the way, Trump did what his base wanted but his performance last night was radioactive to moderates and undecideds."

CNN has defended the decision to air the town hall. 

"Tonight, Kaitlan Collins exemplified what it means to be a world-class journalist. She asked tough, fair and revealing questions," a CNN spokesperson said. 

"She followed up and fact-checked President Trump in real time to arm voters with crucial information about his positions as he enters the 2024 election as the Republican frontrunner," the spokesperson continued. "That is CNN’s role and responsibility: to get answers and hold the powerful to account." 

OCASIO-CORTEZ FUMES AT CNN FOR TRUMP TOWN HALL: ‘SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THEMSELVES’

CNN's own commentator Adam Kinzinger declared on Twitter the town hall was an "absolute joke" and later told his colleague Jake Tapper on-air, "As somebody who spent the last two years countering the lies, I’m not going to pretend like it was easy for me to see the former president get this forum tonight — to lie to the American people over and over and over again."

"I don't think [Jeff] Zucker would have let this happen," former CNN reporter Rebecca Buck tweeted, invoking CNN's former boss.

Before the town hall even started, CNN contributor Michael Fanone, a former D.C. police officer who was injured during the Jan. 6 riot, attacked his own employer. 

"I don’t believe for one second that this is about journalistic integrity. It’s about ratings and money," Fanone wrote in a scathing Rolling Stone column. 

Fox News’ Joseph A. Wulfsohn contributed to this report. 

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