Former President Trump and Sean Hannity are scheduled to team up for a town hall event on Fox News next month. This announcement follows Trump’s recent appearance at a CNN-hosted town hall in New Hampshire, which drew a substantial viewership of over 3 million live viewers, despite CNN’s declining ratings. The forthcoming town hall will be recorded in Iowa on June 1 and will be aired at 9 p.m. Eastern time on the same day. Hannity will take on the role of fielding questions from the audience during the event.
Although there have been tensions between Trump and Fox News due to Trump’s belief that the network is favoring Ron DeSantis, a 2024 candidate, it seems that Trump and Hannity have maintained a positive relationship. Trump has appeared on Hannity’s program multiple times in the past, indicating their ongoing rapport.
According to The Hill:
The former president also appeared on Hannity’s prime-time program earlier this year amid tensions between the former president and the network he’d favored during his previous presidential runs.
He railed against the network earlier this month, claiming it puts too much attention on Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), who announced his 2024 presidential bid Wednesday.
“They are desperately pushing DeSanctimonious who, regardless, is dropping like a rock,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social. “Fox News has become the DeSanctimonious Network, but it will never work because he doesn’t have the goods.”
The GOP presidential race has become crowded in recent days, with the addition of DeSantis and Sen. Tim Scott (S.C.). Several others — including former Vice President Mike Pence, New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie — are expected to soon make a decision on possible bids as well.
Donald Trump’s upcoming appearance on Fox News is expected to generate significant attention. With Fox’s ratings facing a decline after the departure of the network’s most popular host, Tucker Carlson, Trump’s town hall has the potential to reignite viewership temporarily for the network.
Given Trump’s leading position in the GOP race, a town hall event like his previous appearance on CNN is likely to further boost his standing in the polls. The combination of Trump’s star power and the network’s reach creates an opportunity for both parties to benefit from this high-profile event.
