Trump town hall will test CNN CEO Chris Licht’s disinformation rule

CNN CEO Chris Licht’s recent disinformation rule will be put to the test during the upcoming town hall event featuring former President Donald Trump. The event is scheduled for July 1 and will be moderated by CNN’s Don Lemon.

Licht’s new policy aims to prevent the spread of disinformation on CNN’s platforms. Under the policy, CNN will refuse to give airtime to politicians who have a history of spreading lies and misinformation. However, the network has made an exception for the town hall featuring Trump, despite his well-documented track record of spreading falsehoods.

CNN has faced criticism for giving Trump a platform in the past, particularly during the 2016 presidential campaign. The network was accused of providing Trump with excessive coverage and failing to fact-check his statements. In recent years, CNN has taken steps to address these criticisms, including implementing Licht’s new disinformation rule.

The upcoming town hall with Trump will be a test of CNN’s commitment to this new policy. The former president has a long history of making false and misleading claims, particularly about the 2020 election. The town hall will give him a prime-time platform to spread these falsehoods to a national audience.

Critics argue that CNN should not be giving Trump a platform, regardless of the format. They argue that Trump has repeatedly demonstrated a willingness to lie and mislead, and that giving him a forum only serves to legitimize his claims. Others argue that the town hall is an important opportunity to hold Trump accountable for his actions while in office and to challenge his false statements.

Lemon has promised to fact-check Trump during the town hall, and CNN has said that the event will follow its standard protocols for ensuring accuracy. However, some remain skeptical that the network will be able to effectively push back against Trump’s falsehoods.

The controversy surrounding the town hall is just the latest example of the ongoing debate over how to deal with politicians who spread disinformation. Many social media platforms have implemented their own policies to combat disinformation, but these policies have proven difficult to enforce in practice.

The town hall will be a closely watched event, with many eyes on CNN to see how it handles Trump’s false claims. It remains to be seen whether Licht’s disinformation rule will hold up under the scrutiny of a high-profile event like this one.