Fox News and CNN choose not to air Trump’s second major speech since leaving office

‘His aides are talking about reinstating him as president. He can’t even be reinstated on social media right now,’ former Ted Cruz staffer says

CNN and Fox News chose not to air former President Donald Trump’s second major speech since leaving office.

MSNBC broadcast portions of Mr Trump’s speech to the North Carolina GOP State Convention, with a correspondent at times speaking over the remarks.

It was Mr Trump first public speech since February when he spoke at the Conservative Political Action Conference.

When the speech began at the Greenville Convention Centre, it became clear that Fox News was instead airing a pre-taped episode of Watters World.

Mr Trump bashed Fox News after they called the election for President Joe Biden, calling the network “unwatchable” and telling supporters to watch “anything else”.

Newsmax and One America News, the two smaller conservative news channels now competing for the most ardent of Trump supporters, aired the speech live.

In place of the speech, CNN broadcast a discussion about the speech’s possible impact.

“As long as he remains stuck on November 2020, everyone else will remain stuck on 6 January. Because those two things are inextricably linked,” former Ted Cruz staffer Amanda Carpenter said on the network. “He is entering this speech so diminished as a twice-impeached, losing president under multiple investigations. His aides are talking about reinstating him as president. He can’t even be reinstated on social media right now.”

A Trump-supporting mob stormed the Capitol on 6 January in an attempt to overturn the election and prevent Mr Biden from taking office.

Mr Trump spoke for 90 minutes in North Carolina and spent large parts of the speech slamming Mr Biden’s handling of immigration at the southern border, the economy and foreign policy.

He boasted about what he sees as the successes of his administration and once again pushed the baseless idea that the 2020 election was fraudulent. He called it “the crime of the century” and “by far the most corrupt election in the history of our country”.

“It was a third-world country election like we’ve never seen before,” Mr Trump said. “I am not the one trying to undermine American Democracy, I’m the one trying to save it. Please remember that.”

He said the Republicans would win back congress next year, removing the speaker’s gavel from California Democrat Nancy Pelosi.

“The survival of America depends upon our ability to elect Republicans at every level, starting with the midterms next year,” Mr Trump said.

During his speech, Mr Trump endorsed North Carolina Rep Ted Budd for the Senate seat being left open after the retirement of Senator Richard Burr in 2022. It was long rumoured that Mr Trump’s daughter-in-law Lara Trump, wife of Eric Trump, was interested in running for the seat.

“No for now,” she said during a speech to the gathered Republicans. “Not no forever.” She mentioned her young children as a reason for choosing not to be a candidate.

“This is a complete, and total endorsement,” Mr Trump said of Mr Budd.

The Independent has reached out to Fox News and Mr Trump for comment.