US TV networks split on broadcasting Trump’s election-focused speech

The largest US television networks split on whether to air Donald Trump’s White House address live on Thursday night, a speech heavy on unproven accusations about the integrity of the 2020 election won by Joe Biden.

CNN, ABC and NBC chose not to air the speech live, while CBS, Fox News and MS Now (formerly MSNBC) aired at least large portions of it live. ABC did not air the speech as a must-run broadcast, but some station affiliates, including the Washington DC station owned by right-leaning broadcaster Sinclair, chose to air it.

Instead of airing the speech as a special report like CBS did, NBC continued airing the previously scheduled nature documentary show "The Americas." CBS had been scheduled to air the sitcom "Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage."

MS Now chose to air about half of the speech despite warnings from its 9pm host Jen Psaki, former Biden White House press secretary, who told viewers it would be unlike a traditional White House address. “When you’re in the White House, these are selective moments a president typically takes to speak to the American public,” she said. “We are not in normal times, as you all know. And this speech is not going to be about this country, and it is not going to be about the American people and the challenges people face.”

Trump’s remarks focused on “the deep state” and efforts by China to “meddle” in the US’s election system. About 15 minutes into Trump’s comments, Psaki cut into the speech and pushed back on his assertions about the electoral system.

CBS also cut into Trump’s speech just over 20 minutes in, bringing on Tony Dokoupil, the Evening News anchor, and Major Garrett, the chief White House correspondent. Before the speech, Dokoupil explained the network’s decision to air a large portion: “It’s a speech expected to address safety and security of American elections, a topic that the president has talked about for years. At times almost constantly, and honestly, much of what the president has said on this topic has been false. There is an argument it’s irresponsible to air the speech tonight. But this speech will be made. It will be news. And it’s our job to cover the news. So we are.”

Rather than airing the speech, CNN hosted a panel discussion featuring experts from across the political spectrum. The network’s on-air graphic cast doubt on Trump’s remarks, telling viewers: “Trump Gives Address On Elections After Years of False Claims.” Kaitlan Collins, the network’s 9pm anchor, told viewers they would monitor the speech despite not airing it: “We’ll be monitoring what the president says tonight, as we always do, but aren’t taking it live, given the president has a well-documented history of saying blatantly false things about elections.”

While ABC did not air the speech across all its stations, it broadcast it on the network’s streaming service ABC News Live and ABC News Radio. Trump called out ABC and NBC for not airing the speech live and suggested they should lose their broadcast license. “They and others in the media are part of a plot. They want to continue this fraud for whatever reason,” Trump said. “They want to protect the radical left.”

The news that NBC and ABC would not air the speech live also drew pushback from Trump’s communications director, Steven Cheung. “Cowards. NBC and ABC don’t want you to hear the truth. All they want to do is hide the facts from YOU,” he wrote on X. “Tune in @WhiteHouse at 9:00pm EDT, where we always get bigger ratings than any of the networks.”

Fox News host Sean Hannity said it was “pretty unheard of” for networks to not air primetime presidential addresses, though there is a history of networks choosing not to air speeches viewed as political in nature.