President Donald Trump criticized ABC and NBC on Thursday after both networks opted not to broadcast his prime-time speech on election integrity over their main television networks, accusing the outlets of deliberately avoiding the topic because of its political implications.
Speaking from the White House, Trump alleged the networks were attempting to shield the public from information his administration had declassified regarding election security.
Trump Accuses Networks of Bias
During his remarks, Trump argued that the decision not to air his address live on broadcast television reflected broader media bias.
“In a rare move, NBC and ABC, fake news, have both said that they would not cover this speech—they knew what it was about—because of the fact that they don’t like the topic because they know how corrupt our system is. And they don’t want to reveal it,” Trump said.
The president went further, claiming some media organizations were working to suppress discussions about election integrity.
“They and others in the media are part of a plot. They want to continue this fraud for whatever reason. They want to keep it going. They want to protect the radical left,” Trump said. “You can’t have a great country without free and fair elections.”
Networks Chose Streaming Platforms
Ahead of the speech, both ABC and NBC announced they would provide live coverage through their digital streaming services rather than interrupt regular programming on their broadcast networks.
An ABC News spokesperson told USA Today that the network would carry the address on ABC News Live and ABC News Radio while covering the speech during its regularly scheduled television newscasts.
The network also said its Special Report team stood ready to interrupt programming if significant developments warranted breaking news coverage.
NBC similarly announced that it would stream the president’s remarks live and planned to air a special report on its broadcast network after the speech concluded.
Trump Unveils Election Integrity Findings
During the approximately 26-minute address, Trump outlined newly declassified election security findings.
According to the White House, the documents include information concerning:
- Alleged Chinese efforts to compromise American voter rolls.
- The presence of noncitizens on voter registration rolls.
- Vulnerabilities in electronic voting and ballot-counting systems.
- An investigation into alleged election fraud in Michigan following the 2020 presidential election that Trump said was stalled by the Biden Department of Justice.
The White House simultaneously launched an election integrity website containing the declassified materials.
“Ensuring the integrity of our elections is fundamental to preserving trust in American democracy,” the website states. “Following the 2020 presidential election, concerns about potential irregularities prompted detailed examinations of voting processes, data security, and registration practices across multiple states.”
Push for SAVE America Act
Trump also used the speech to urge the Senate to pass the SAVE America Act, legislation that would establish additional voter identification and citizenship verification requirements.
The president argued the legislation would strengthen election safeguards by requiring voters to present photo identification and provide proof of American citizenship before casting ballots.
Republicans have argued the legislation is necessary to bolster confidence in elections and prevent illegal voting. Democrats have generally opposed such measures.
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