Jon Stewart revealed “the problem” with CNN’s town hall with Donald Trump as he argued that he learned “nothing” about the former president following the event on Wednesday.
The former “Daily Show” host, in a series of tweets on Saturday, joined a chorus of critics who have gone after the network for what they described as an “ill-advised” choice and a “Trump pep rally.”
“Dear TV The problem w the Trump Town Hall wasn’t platforming…or a fragile siloed audience unable to be exposed to newsworthy opinions antithetical to their own…the problem was an event that was clearly negotiated to Trump’s approval. An ode to access,” wrote Stewart.
The backlash over the town hall led to anchor Anderson Cooper’s attempt to defend the network’s decision to host Trump. Yet Cooper’s remarks were described as “deeply stupid” and “gaslighting” as he questioned why viewers would be staying in the “silo” with their views.
A number of CNN staffers, including senior media reporter Oliver Darcy, have been open about their dissatisfaction with the event while CNN chairman and CEO Chris Licht reportedly argued that America “was served very well” by the town hall.
“You do not have to like the former president’s answers, but you can’t say that we didn’t get them,” said Licht, according to former CNN media correspondent Brian Stelter.
Stewart, in a later tweet, drafted up remarks that mocked CNN for its invite to the former president.
“We promise good sir…we are no longer Fake News!!! An enemy of the people!!! Let us prove it to you!!! We are fair and good and will do this however you would like…just come back…” Stewart wrote.
Stewart concluded that he “learned nothing” about Trump but rather, he learned “a lot” about CNN following the event.
“I learned nothing from this town hall about Trump and his most ardent supporters I haven’t known since 2016. I learned a lot about CNN,” Stewart wrote.