Donald Trump claims CNN is scrambling to figure out how to handle the presidential debate after he left them shocked by accepting the network’s invitation.
The former president was speaking to a Detroit convention of the right-wing group Turning Point Action on Saturday.
He claimed CNN had loaded the proposed debate with restrictions that they were sure he would say no to.
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But mow that he accepted, he said CNN executives are in a panic.
“Now they don’t know what the hell to do,” he said.
Trump has agreed to debate President Joe Biden on June 27 in Atlanta, with restrictions including an audience-free hall and microphones that will be cut to make sure the pair observe limits to their speaking time.
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“They gave me an offer that I couldn't accept,” he said.
“They said, it's Fake Tapper is the moderator,” he added, referring to CNN host Jake Tapper.
“They said, it's a sit-down. It's a very sterile room. Nobody allowed in. Nobody allowed, not even your family. Nobody allowed in. There'll be no audience whatsoever there. And they turn off your mics when you finish speaking. They're trying to make this very exciting, right?
He went on, “So they assumed that I would say no because, you know, you got CNN fake news.
“It's like the mob,” he said. “They gave me an offer I couldn't accept. I said, I accept because we want to get him to a debate. Because here's what happened. They made an offer that was so ridiculous and they knew I was going to say no, and then they could go, they say Biden wanted to debate, but Trump refused to debate. right?
“But Trump refused to debate. He wouldn't do it. But I said yes. And now they don't know what the hell to do.”