Donald Trump ‘enters lions’ den’ with unfair debate: spokesperson

Donald Trump is “entering the lions’ den” this week as the next debate against Joe Biden approaches, the former president’s spokesperson said.

On Monday, Trump press secretary Karoline Leavitt appeared on Steve Bannon’s show. Crisis unit podcast, hosted by RealAmericasVoice, to discuss the upcoming presidential debate hosted by CNN and how the network interrupted her during an interview earlier today.

“It’s not going to be a fair debate on Thursday, and President Trump knows that…he knows that. He knows he’s going into the lion’s den,” Leavitt said. “It’s going to be a 3-on-1 fight with Crooked Joe…and (CNN anchors) Dana Bash and Jake Tapper.”

“It was his decision. He is determined to move forward and deliver his winning message to voters across the country, and God bless him for what he has done,” she added.

Earlier Monday, CNN anchor Kasie Hunt abruptly ended a live interview with Leavitt after the spokesperson questioned Tapper, who is moderating the network’s upcoming presidential debate alongside Bash.

Hunt had asked Leavitt what to expect ahead of the first live televised presidential debate of the 2024 campaign, scheduled for June 27.

In response, Leavitt said: “Well, first of all, it takes someone five minutes to Google ‘Jake Tapper Donald Trump’ to see that Jake Tapper still…”

Hunt interrupted and warned Leavitt: “I’m going to stop this interview if you continue to attack my colleagues.”

When Leavitt responded, “I’m stating facts that your colleagues have stated in the past,” Hunt interrupted her and ended the interview.

After the interview, Hunt posted on X, formerly Twitter, “You come on my show, you respect my colleagues. Period.”

In a statement Monday morning, Leavitt said News week: “CNN cut off my microphone for discussing anti-Trump lies from a debate moderator, which simply proves our point that President Trump will not be treated fairly in Thursday’s debate. Yet the president Trump is still ready to go into this 3-1 fight to bring his winning message to the American people, and he will win.”

Regarding Leavitt’s comments on Bannon’s show, a CNN spokesperson said News week that “Jake Tapper and Dana Bash are highly respected veteran journalists who have covered politics for more than five decades together.”

“They have extensive experience moderating major political debates, including CNN’s Republican presidential primary debate this cycle. No two people are better equipped to co-moderate a substantive, fact-based discussion, and we look forward to the June 27 debate in Atlanta,” the spokesperson said.

Trump did not participate in this debate.

Biden’s campaign declined to comment after News week contacted by email.