{"id":5288,"date":"2026-07-17T08:10:09","date_gmt":"2026-07-17T08:10:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/2026\/07\/17\/us-tv-networks-split-on-broadcasting-trumps-election-focused-speech\/"},"modified":"2026-07-17T08:10:09","modified_gmt":"2026-07-17T08:10:09","slug":"us-tv-networks-split-on-broadcasting-trumps-election-focused-speech","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/?p=5288","title":{"rendered":"US TV networks split on broadcasting Trump\u2019s election-focused speech"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-gu-name=\"media\" class=\"dcr-14sl0e4\">\n<div class=\"dcr-17l77cs\">\n<figure id=\"b82874a4-b359-442d-8ba4-efe2e4f62e17\" class=\"dcr-191xnya\">\n<div id=\"img-1\" class=\"dcr-1t7hdmw\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Four TV monitors in a square play the president, with the bottom right screen on a hold pattern.\" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/0db4b1735db88e106cc3fd5bace28ebc6d10724b\/396_0_7200_5760\/master\/7200.jpg?width=465&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" width=\"465\" height=\"372\" loading=\"eager\" class=\"dcr-up96pv\"><span class=\"dcr-kogzpx\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-18mnkpm\">\n<div class=\"dcr-1294qmb\"><label for=\"the-checkbox\" class=\"dcr-4sl2vt\"><\/label> <\/p>\n<div id=\"the-caption\"><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-1mfxiaj\"><span class=\"dcr-13i4yc9\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1cipnsy\">Donald Trump&#8217;s address plays in the press briefing room of the White House in Washington DC on 6 July.<\/span> Photograph: Aaron Schwartz\/EPA<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><a href=\"#img-1\" data-ignore=\"global-link-styling\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-zwabc0\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><button data-element-id=\"b82874a4-b359-442d-8ba4-efe2e4f62e17\" type=\"button\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-1bitgpn\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><span class=\"dcr-1shbixy\">View image in fullscreen<\/span><\/button><\/a><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"dcr-qda0hp\"><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-1e9iiy9\"><span class=\"dcr-13i4yc9\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1cipnsy\">Donald Trump&#8217;s address plays in the press briefing room of the White House in Washington DC on 6 July.<\/span> Photograph: Aaron Schwartz\/EPA<\/figcaption><\/span><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-gu-name=\"headline\" class=\"dcr-ql9l8l\">\n<div class=\"dcr-6mja0y\">\n<h1 class=\"dcr-l0wuod\">US TV networks split on broadcasting Trump\u2019s election-focused speech<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-gu-name=\"standfirst\" class=\"dcr-1xpojbf\">\n<div class=\"dcr-1gm5ptv\">\n<p>NBC and CNN stayed away from White House speech, while Fox News, MS Now, CBS and some ABC affiliates aired it<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-gu-name=\"body\" class=\"dcr-x1al2c\">\n<div class=\"dcr-11gq2tx\">\n<div id=\"maincontent\" class=\"dcr-1w2vkyc\">\n<div class=\"article-body-commercial-selector article-body-viewer-selector dcr-ogvvui\">\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">The US\u2019s largest television stations split on whether to air <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/donaldtrump\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">Donald Trump<\/a>\u2019s White House address live on Thursday night, which was heavy on unproven accusations about the integrity of the 2020 election won by Joe Biden.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">While CNN, ABC and NBC chose not to air the speech live, CBS, Fox News and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/media\/msnbc\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\">MS Now<\/a> (formerly MSNBC) aired at least large portions of the speech live. ABC did not air the speech as a must-run broadcast, but some station affiliates \u2013 including the Washington DC station owned by right-leaning broadcaster Sinclair \u2013 chose to air the speech.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Instead of airing the speech as a special report, like CBS did, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/media\/nbc\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\">NBC<\/a> chose to continue airing the previously scheduled nature documentary show The Americas. (CBS was scheduled to air the sitcom Georgie &amp; Mandy\u2019s First Marriage.)<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">MS Now chose to air about half of the speech despite warnings from Jen Psaki, the network\u2019s 9pm host and former Biden White House press secretary, who told viewers that it would be unlike a traditional White House address.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">\u201cWhen you\u2019re in the White House, these are selective moments a president typically takes to speak to the American public,\u201d she said. \u201cWe are not in normal times, as you all know. And this speech is not going to be about this country, and it is not going to be about the American people and the challenges people face.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Trump\u2019s remarks focused on \u201cthe deep state\u201d and efforts by China to \u201cmeddle\u201d in the US\u2019s election system.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">About 15 minutes into Trump\u2019s comments, Psaki cut into the speech and pushed back on his assertions about the electoral system.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">CBS also cut into Trump\u2019s speech just more than 20 minutes in, bringing on Tony Dokoupil, the Evening News anchor, and Major Garrett, the chief White House correspondent.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Before the speech, Dokoupil explained the network\u2019s decision to air a large portion of it.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">\u201cIt\u2019s a speech expected to address safety and security of American elections, a topic, of course, that the president has talked a lot about for years now,\u201d he said. \u201cAt times, almost constantly, and honestly, much of what the president has said on this topic has been false. Most notably, of course, the claim that he won the 2020 election, when of course he did not. Because of this, there is an argument that it\u2019s irresponsible to air the president\u2019s speech tonight. But this speech will be made. It will be news. And it\u2019s our job to cover the news. And so we are.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Rather than airing the speech, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/media\/cnn\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\">CNN<\/a> hosted a panel discussion featuring experts from across the political spectrum. The network\u2019s on-air graphic cast doubt on Trump\u2019s remarks, telling viewers: \u201cTrump Gives Address On Elections After Years of False Claims.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Kaitlan Collins, the network\u2019s 9pm anchor, told viewers that her team would be keeping an eye on the speech despite not airing it. \u201cWe\u2019ll be monitoring what the president says tonight, as we always do, but aren\u2019t taking it live, given the president has a well-documented history of saying blatantly false things about elections,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">While ABC did not air the speech across all of its stations, it broadcast it on the network\u2019s streaming service ABC News Live and ABC News Radio. Still, Trump called out ABC and NBC for not airing the speech live and suggested that they should lose their license to broadcast, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2025\/nov\/26\/trump-revoke-tv-licenses-threats-media-attacks\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">a common broadside he has used<\/a> against networks he dislikes.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">\u201cThey and others in the media are part of a plot. They want to continue this fraud for whatever reason,\u201d Trump said. \u201cThey want to protect the radical left.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/media\/abc\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\">ABC<\/a>, NBC aired the speech live on its streaming service and broadcast a special report after it concluded.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">The news that NBC and ABC would not air the speech live also drew pushback from Trump\u2019s pugnacious communications director, Steven Cheung.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">\u201cCowards. NBC and ABC don\u2019t want you to hear the truth. All they want to do is hide the facts from YOU,\u201d he wrote earlier in a post on X. \u201cTune in @WhiteHouse at 9:00pm EDT, where we always get bigger ratings than any of the networks.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">While Sean Hannity, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/media\/fox\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\">Fox<\/a> News host, said it was \u201cpretty unheard of\u201d for networks to not air primetime presidential addresses, there is a history of networks choosing not to air speeches that are viewed as political in nature.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-print-layout=\"hide\" class=\"dcr-swayiu\"><span class=\"dcr-1xhbmzr\">Explore more on these topics<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-2c03t5\">\n<ul class=\"dcr-p7nd18\">\n<li class=\"dcr-r721ee\"><a href=\"\/us-news\/us-news\" class=\"dcr-856iwi\">US news<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-r721ee\"><a href=\"\/us-news\/donaldtrump\" class=\"dcr-856iwi\">Donald Trump<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-r721ee\"><a href=\"\/media\/cbs\" class=\"dcr-856iwi\">CBS<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-r721ee\"><a href=\"\/media\/nbc\" class=\"dcr-856iwi\">NBC<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-r721ee\"><a href=\"\/media\/abc\" class=\"dcr-856iwi\">ABC<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-r721ee\"><a href=\"\/media\/cnn\" class=\"dcr-856iwi\">CNN<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-r721ee\"><a href=\"\/media\/fox\" class=\"dcr-856iwi\">Fox<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-r721ee\"><a href=\"\/tone\/news\" class=\"dcr-856iwi\">news<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"dcr-313bdz\"><a href=\"mailto:?subject=US%20TV%20networks%20split%20on%20broadcasting%20Trump%E2%80%99s%20election-focused%20speech&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/jul\/16\/us-tv-networks-trump-speech?CMP=share_btn_url\" class=\"dcr-ncybeu\">Share<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-19bkree\"><a data-link-name=\"meta-syndication-article\" href=\"https:\/\/syndication.theguardian.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fus-news%2F2026%2Fjul%2F16%2Fus-tv-networks-trump-speech&amp;type=article&amp;internalpagecode=us-news\/2026\/jul\/16\/us-tv-networks-trump-speech\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\" title=\"Reuse this content\" class=\"dcr-1c41onw\">Reuse this content<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-gu-name=\"right-column\" class=\"dcr-1kq7f60\"><span class=\"dcr-1ryr20k\"><\/span><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Donald Trump&#8217;s address plays in the press briefing room of the White House in Washington DC on 6<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":5290,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5288","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-world-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5288","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5288"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5288\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/5290"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5288"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5288"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5288"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}