News/Commentary

Frustrated Byron Donalds blasts CNN over treatment: ‘Is this the status quo, is this the normal?’

May 13, 2023 | | Print Article

After Donald Trump’s town hall appearance on CNN and his own experience on Wednesday with a CNN panel, Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) wants to know if interrupting people is the network’s “status quo.”

Following Trump’s triumphant showdown with moderator Kaitlan Collins, Donalds appeared on CNN alongside and was repeatedly interrupted as he defended Trump over Collins’ constant fact-checking.

“Let him finish his statement, and then if you want to bring in a counter question to quote-unquote fact check, that’s fine,” Donalds said. “But to just come in with statements, when frankly, to be honest, the press typically doesn’t have all the facts, or they have their viewpoint of what’s occurred, to just constantly interject, now you have a situation where you’re competing with the candidate.”

Speaking on a Zoom call to Fox News Digital, Donalds said the experience “frustrated” him.

“I got a little frustrated, because, I’m like, we just watched you know, Kaitlan Collins do this to Donald Trump. Now you’re trying to do it to me,” he said. “Is this the status quo, is this the normal? As opposed to letting somebody actually get their entire thought out, and then having a question, or a response, or whatever the case might be?”

Still, the congressman believes showing up for such discussions is “important.”

“It was kind of frustrating, but I was glad I was there, because I think it’s important for, you know, Americans to see real debate, real dialogue, and not just a love fest on these panel discussions,” he said.

(Video: Fox News Digital)

Stepping out of echo chambers and appearing on networks that don’t necessarily share your viewpoint is “necessary,” he explained. In fact, Donalds said, it’s something President Joe Biden should consider doing. Since taking office, he hasn’t made a single appearance on Fox News.

“Would Joe Biden go on Fox?” Donalds asked. “I don’t know. I think he should, by the way. I think it will bring some of that dialogue I think is necessary for the country.”

As combative as Collins was with Trump, the former president’s decision to go on CNN was a “good” thing, according to Donalds.

“I think it was really good for President Trump to be in that environment and to have somebody challenging him, I just think she went too far with it,” he said.

Speaking on CNN, Donalds argued that Trump’s town hall performance put him in a “stronger” position heading into the “primary fights.”

“I think that what happens in this town hall per se, is correct in terms of, it makes him stronger for the primary fights,” he said. “But at the end of the day, presidential elections are a choice between two candidates. It looks like Joe Biden is going to be their nominee, I would assume that’s going to be the case. It looks like Donald Trump is going to be our nominee.”

“At that point,” Donalds said, “voters have to choose between one of the two gentlemen.”

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Melissa Fine
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