Former President Donald Trump was asked a tough question by Fox News host Sean Hannity on Tuesday – whether he would run for president again in 2024. The former president answered that he was not ready to make a decision yet, but he did express his love for the country and his desire to serve it.
The interview was widely covered by the media, but what was not widely discussed was a deceptively edited clip of the interview that was released by CNN. The clip was edited to make it appear that Trump was avoiding the question, when in reality, he was simply giving a thoughtful response.
The edited clip was quickly picked up by other outlets and went viral on social media. However, many people noticed that the clip was edited and called out the network for its deceptive tactics.
CNN guest and Republican strategist Alice Stewart was one of the first to call out the network for its deceptive editing. In an appearance on CNN’s The Lead with Jake Tapper, Stewart said that the clip was “clearly edited” and “not the full answer” from Trump.
“That was clearly edited. That was not the full answer,” Stewart said. “He went on to say he was focused on the 2022 midterms, he was focused on helping Republicans win back the House and Senate. He said he was focused on the 2022 midterms and he was going to make a decision after that. That was not included in the clip.”
Stewart also noted that the clip was not only edited, but it was also taken out of context. She said that Trump was simply expressing his love for the country and his desire to serve it, but the edited clip made it appear as if he was avoiding the question.
Stewart’s comments were echoed by many others, including Republican strategist and former Trump campaign adviser, Mercedes Schlapp. Schlapp said that the clip was “edited to make it appear as if the President was avoiding the question.”
The edited clip of Trump’s interview with Hannity was a prime example of the media’s tendency to distort the truth in order to push a narrative. It’s a tactic that is becoming increasingly common in the media, and it’s one that needs to be called out.
Alice Stewart should be commended for her courage in calling out CNN for its deceptive tactics. Her comments were an important reminder that the media should be held accountable for its actions. The truth should never be distorted, no matter how much it may benefit a particular narrative.
