Interview With Trump Spokesperson Ended By CNN Anchor Over Attack On Debate Hosts, Network Defends Staff: 'Well Respected Veteran Journalists'

In a recent turn of events, a CNN anchor Kasie Hunt abruptly ended an interview with Karoline Leavitt, a top spokesperson for former President Donald Trump, after Leavitt repeatedly attacked two CNN anchors who are set to host the upcoming presidential debate.

What Happened: Hunt, during the interview on Monday, asked Leavitt about Trump’s plans for the upcoming debate with President Joe Biden. Leavitt, in response, criticized CNN moderators Jake Tapper and Dana Bash, who will be hosting the debate, reported The Hill.

After Leavitt continued to attack the moderators, Hunt decided to end the interview and cut the video feed of Leavitt, returning to a panel discussion on the upcoming debate.

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Leavitt later appeared on “War Room,” a podcast and live stream show hosted by Steve Bannon, Trump’s former White House chief of staff, where she continued to criticize Tapper. Bannon also claimed that the Thursday debate would be “totally 100 percent rigged.”

CNN issued a statement defending Bash and Tapper, describing them as “well respected veteran journalists who have covered politics for more than five decades combined.”

Why It Matters: The upcoming debate between Trump and Biden is set to be a significant event in the 2024 campaign. The debate, scheduled for June 27, will be the first of two direct debates between the two candidates, as reported by Benzinga. The debate will be governed by new rules aimed at avoiding the issues that arose during the debates four years ago.

Trump will have the final say in the upcoming CNN debate with Biden. The podium placement and the order of closing statements for the debate were determined by a coin flip, with the Biden campaign choosing the right podium position and Trump’s campaign choosing for the former president to deliver the last closing statement.

Image via Shutterstock

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This story was generated using Benzinga Neuro and edited by Shivdeep Dhaliwal