'Everybody wants to watch': Trump blasts CNN and 'fake' Jake Tapper for snubbing primary victory speeches
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Former President Donald Trump expressed frustration with certain networks, notably CNN, for not airing some of his primary victory speeches.
During an interview on Fox News' 'MediaBuzz', host Howard Kurtz raised the issue, noting that after the Iowa caucuses, certain networks chose not to broadcast Trump's speech.
Fox News host raises concerns over Trump's criticism
According to RadarOnline, "I was very critical at the time," the Fox News host told the former president. "But you said, ‘CNN and NBC should have their licenses, or whatever they have, taken away.’ Sounded like you were threatening to go after television outlets with reporting you don’t like.”
In response, Trump expressed incredulity at networks cutting away from his speeches, especially after covering his candidacy extensively in a negative light. He singled out CNN, alleging that they failed to air his speeches, and criticized anchor Jake Tapper, whom he claimed instructed to cut off coverage.
“When you’re using public airwaves, and you don’t have — you cover a candidate for months, you cover him as negatively as possible — or her, could be her," Trump told Kurtz. "And then, all of a sudden, that candidate wins in a landslide, and it’s very exciting, and everybody wants to watch, and you don’t cover his speech! And, it’s incredible."
"I guess it was 'Fake Tapper' or somebody turned it off, he said, 'Turn it off,'" Trump remarked. "Jake Tapper, who I used to know and actually sort of liked him, actually, but he hurts himself very badly when he does a thing like that."
WATCH: Trump goes after CNN’s 'Fake Tapper' and ‘MSDNC’ as he doubles down on threats to remove network licenses pic.twitter.com/ZPYMXV1bxA
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Trump questions media's decision-making and impact on ratings
Trump lamented the impact of such decisions on their ratings and questioned the logic behind refusing to broadcast pivotal moments in his campaign.
"You look at CNN ratings, they’re so bad," he explained.
"So, you cover, though — I mean, think of it — you’re covering someone for a year, and this is the culmination, this is the big moment, and people want to watch it, and you say, 'I’m not going to put his speech on.' How can you do that?"
Kurtz added, “My view was, say what you want afterwards. If you want to be critical, fine.”
