Donald Trump accuses ‘biased’ CBS hosts Margaret Brennan & Norah O’Donnell of ‘lies’ & helping Tim Walz by cutting mics
DONALD Trump didn’t hold back during Tuesday night’s vice presidential debate, using his Truth Social platform to call the CBS moderators “biased” as the heated showdown unfolded.
His running mate JD Vance had been forced to push back on moderators Margaret Brennan and Norah O’Donnell after they interjected with a fact check despite the network’s own rule not allowing for corrections mid-debate.
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CBS bosses announced last week that they were not going to attempt fact-checking live during the debate, instead placing a QR code on the TV screen for viewers to be redirected to their site.
The CBS News Confirmed team would offer a breakdown of the validity of all claims from Vance and his Democratic rival Tim Walz in a blog there.
However, Brennan and O’Donnell didn’t stick to this during a heated exchange about immigration.
Vance had suggested that illegal immigrants were overwhelming resources in Springfield, Ohio, when the hosts jumped in.
READ MORE ON THE DEBATE
“Just to clarify for our viewers, Springfield, Ohio does have a large number of Haitian migrants who have legal status, temporary protected status,” Brennan said.
As Vance attempted to push back, the co-moderators kept repeating that they needed to move on to the next question.
“The rules were that you guys weren’t going to fact-check,” Vance hit back.
“And since you are fact-checking me, I think it’s important to say what’s actually going on.”
He attempted to describe the process of an immigrant obtaining legal status while Walz also began arguing about the law.
“Senator, we have so much we have to get to, thank you so much for explaining the legal process,” Brennan said again before both men’s mice were abruptly cut off.
“The audience can’t hear you because your mics are cut,” she added.
Trump shared his disgust with the anchors on Truth Social after the fact-checking showdown.
“Both young ladies have been extremely biased Anchors!” Trump wrote.
Before the debate, CBS News said that the moderators “reserved the right” to mute the microphones – but it didn’t stop Trump from being furious about Vance being silenced.
“Margaret Brennan just lied again about the ILLEGAL MIGRANTS let into our Country by Lyin’ Kamala Harris, and then she cut off JD’s mic to stop him from correcting her!” Trump fumed.
He later went in on O’Donnell by bringing up the fact that she recently announced she would leave her job as a CBS anchor after 12 years after this election
“I thought Norah was fired from CBS for Low Ratings. Why is she still on?” Trump wrote.
He later added, “Norah just made a statement about the Election, not a question. She’s having a bad night!”
It comes as…
- JD Vance and Tim Walz locked horns in first VP debate ahead of election
- Walz was branded ‘Biden Jr.’ during his rambling answers to some of the debate questions
- Donald Trump slammed the CBS hosts for their ‘bias’ after they cut the candidates’ mics during Vance’s answer
- Vance ‘has chance to become Maga movement leader but must avoid being cocky,’ expert warns
- Expert warns Walz has ‘more holes than swiss cheese’ in wake of Vance debate
- Closet Trump voters are still ‘not coming clean,’ ex-Biden advisor says
- Battleground states remain too close to call
‘FAKE NEWS’
Trump also became infuriated when Brennan called out a claim that Vance made about climate change.
“Margaret Brennan just ‘fact checked’ JD, incorrectly, on ‘Climate Change,'” Trump slammed.
“When is she going to fact check Tampon Tim on all of his false statements?
“Another repeat with the Fake News being unfair to the Republican Candidate, and trying to get the pathetic Democrat across the finish line,” he continued.
“But it doesn’t matter, the Public sees it for what it is – FAKE NEWS!”
Trump supporter Elon Musk also shared his reaction to the silenced mics on X after the debate.
“The Dem machine will absolutely implement censorship if given another four years to do so,” he wrote.
‘OBVIOUSLY BIASED’
This wasn’t the first time Trump lashed out at debate hosts.
ABC’s Linsey Davis and David Muir, who moderated the first presidential debate between Trump and Harris, were also ripped as biased during last month’s face-off.
Maga supporters were quick to realize that Trump was interrupted five times during the debate – while Harris wasn’t fact-checked once.
Debate viewers have also accused the moderators of being biased on social media.
“I can’t stand the biased, condescending ‘fact-checks’ by the ‘moderators,'” one X user wrote.
“Margaret Brennan is one of the most obviously biased moderators I could have ever imagined,” another slammed.
“Every single question is phrased to pick a side before any answer was given.”
TRUMP BACKS OUT
Trump’s Truth Social tirade followed the announcement that he backed out of an upcoming sit-down interview with CBS.
After initially agreeing to the 60 Minutes special scheduled for October 7, Trump withdrew hours before the vice presidential debate.
“For over half a century, ’60 Minutes’ has invited the Democratic and Republican tickets to appear on our broadcast as Americans head to the polls,” 60 Minutes said in a statement.
“This year, both the Harris and Trump campaigns agreed to sit down with 60 Minutes. Vice President Harris will speak with correspondent Bill Whitaker.
“After initially accepting 60 Minutes’ request for an interview with Scott Pelley, former President Trump’s campaign has decided not to participate.
60 Minutes said that their original invitation for Trump to be interviewed on the program still stands.
Full statement from 60 Minutes
The CBS News program 60 Minutes announced on Tuesday night that Donald Trump had refused to participate in a sit-down interview.
“60 Minutes is scheduled to air a primetime election special on a Monday edition of the broadcast on October 7 at 8 PM,” the network shared in a programming note on X.
“For over half a century, 60 Minutes has invited the Democratic and Republican tickets to appear on our broadcast as Americans head to the polls.
“This year, both the Harris and Trump campaigns agreed to sit down with 60 Minutes. Vice President Harris will speak with correspondent Bill Whitaker.
“After initially accepting 60 Minutes’ request for an interview with Scott Pelley, former President Trump’s campaign has decided not to participate.
“Pelley will address this Monday evening. Our election special will broadcast the Harris interview on Monday as planned.
“Our original invitation to former President Donald Trump to be interviewed on 60 Minutes stands,” the statement concluded.
His appearance on CBS News is unlikely after continuously slamming the network, on top of criticizing the moderators, during Tuesday’s debate.
The former president even demanded an apology from 60 Minutes correspondent Lesley Stahl in his rants.
“CBS is LYING AGAIN about the 2020 Election,” he wrote.
“Where is my apology from Leslie Stahl? She claimed that the Hunter Biden LAPTOP FROM HELL was not real, and that my Campaign wasn’t spied on. CBS IS FAKE NEWS!”
Following Tuesday’s debate, Harris’ campaign put out a statement criticizing Vance and asking Trump again for a rematch of their first debate.
Trump responded that he’s “not looking” to have a second debate with Harris and said that she only wants to face off again because “they lost so badly tonight.”
JD VANCE VS TIM WALZ
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Senator JD Vance both had full lives before becoming politicians.
Walz and Vance both served in the military. Walz was in the Army National Guard for 24 years, and JD Vance was in the US Marine Corps for four years.
The veterans both share a love for Diet Mountain Dew.
Walz spent most of his early adulthood as a high school teacher and taught for one year in China after graduating college.
In 1999, he was the faculty advisor for the first ever Gay Straight Alliance at the high school he worked for.
Walz didn’t foray into politics until 2004 when he volunteered for John Kerry’s presidential campaign.
In 2006, he ran for Congress and beat incumbent Republican Gil Gutknecht. He served until 2019, when he was elected Minnesota’s governor.
Kamala Harris announced Walz as her running mate on August 6.
Vance’s rise to politics came after his tumultuous childhood in Ohio. He went to college at Ohio State University after serving in the Marines.
Following undergrad, Vance attended Yale Law School, where he started writing his bestselling memoir Hillbilly Elegy.
Vance briefly worked in politics before moving to the technology sector in California, where he met venture capitalist Peter Thiel.
In 2016, he published his book and became a household name in popular culture.
Vance, who was once staunchly anti-Donald Trump, ran for Senate on a pro-MAGA platform in 2022 and was elected with Trump’s blessing.
Donald Trump announced Vance as his running mate on the first day of the RNC in July.
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