Trump calls ABC News ‘meanest’ network days before debate showdown

Former President Donald Trump again attacked ABC News and its veteran anchors before Tuesday’s presidential debate, calling the network the “worst” and “most dishonest” on television.

“ABC is the worst network in terms of fairness,” Trump told Fox News host Sean Hannity at a “town hall” event on Wednesday. “They are the most dishonest network, the meanest, the filthiest, but that is what was presented to me. I got to see ABC, George Slopadopoulos. He’s a nasty guy.”

Trump has repeatedly criticized ABC, which is hosting the presidential debate, since Vice President Kamala Harris secured the Democratic nomination. He has complained that he will not run against President Joe Biden, who ended his re-election campaign after the June 27 debate. He has suggested several times that he would withdraw from Tuesday’s debate in Philadelphia, calling ABC “fake news” and saying it was employing a “panel of Trump haters.”

Harris and Trump had sparred over the rules of the debate, with the vice president’s team insisting the microphones would always be live. But her campaign finally agreed Wednesday to a set of rules similar to Trump’s debate against Biden, including muted microphones when an opposing candidate is speaking and no live audience.

Trump has moved quickly to cast doubt on the fairness of the event and suggested, without evidence, that Harris would have an advantage over him.

“They are very dirty. I think a lot of people will be watching to see how mean they are,” the former president said on ABC.

He further claimed that the vice president would be asked questions beforehand. ABC has denied this would happen, saying the agreed rules mean no topics or questions will be provided to either candidate in advance.

“You could give her the questions and her the answers to the questions. I’m not sure it will help her,” he added.

ABC decided to label the debate as a fair show for both sides, noting that both the Trump and Harris campaigns had agreed to the rules.

“Other than the debate rules published today, which were mutually agreed during two campaigns on May 15, we have made no other arrangements,” an ABC spokesperson told media this week. “We look forward to moderating the presidential debate next Tuesday.”

The debate moderators will be “World News Tonight” host and ABC News Live “Prime” editor-in-chief David Muir and Linsey Davis.