Donald Trump is known for his habit of deeming things he disagrees with as “rigged”. This term has been applied to various aspects of American life, including elections, legal systems, and even television award ceremonies such as the Emmys, which he claims are influenced by unidentified negative forces.
Therefore, it was not a shock when Trump referred to his September 10 debate with Vice President Kamala Harris as “rigged”, both prior to and following the event.
Trump made several inaccurate statements during the debate, which were corrected by ABC News moderators Linsey Davis and David Muir. This caused discontent among Republicans, who seemed to believe that Trump should be permitted to make false assertions without being corrected, regardless of the potential impact on the audience.
Trump expressed his displeasure with ABC News in a post-debate interview with “Fox & Friends”, accusing the network of bias and suggesting that ABC News should lose its broadcasting license because the debate was “rigged” in favor of Harris.
Trump’s main complaint was aimed at the debate’s moderators, whom he accused of unfairly correcting his statements while not fact-checking Harris. “They’re dishonest,” Trump said when asked why he believed the moderators hadn’t fact-checked Harris as rigorously. He also described the debate as being “three-to-one,” implying that both moderators sided with Harris throughout the event.
“I think ABC took a big hit last night,” Trump stated. “To be honest, they’re a news organization—they have to be licensed to do it. They ought to take away their license for the way they did that.”
Despite his grievances, Trump maintained during the interview that he had anticipated this type of treatment, stating, “Now, I didn’t mind because frankly, I was pretty sure that’s what they would do.”
On the other hand, Trump commended the debate he participated in with President Joe Biden on CNN earlier in the election season. According to Trump, CNN hosted a “much more honorably run debate,” as the CNN moderators did not fact-check or question the candidates during the event, a decision agreed upon by both campaigns.
Trump also addressed Harris’ assertions made during the debate. A major point of disagreement was Harris’ interpretation of his comments about the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. During the debate, Harris alluded to Trump’s controversial statement that there were “very fine people on both sides,” a comment made following the violent 2017 rally. Trump insisted that Harris distorted his comments, stating that he had unequivocally condemned neo-Nazis and white nationalists at the same press conference. “Everybody knew that, frankly,” Trump said, adding, “I think they lost a lot of credibility.”
Trump further disputed Harris’ claim that he intended to implement Project 2025 and that he would sign a national abortion ban if reelected. “Lies,” Trump declared, suggesting that Harris’ comments were part of a larger strategy to misrepresent his policies. The debate concluded with Trump expressing confidence in his performance, stating, “I’ve been told I’m a good debater… Maybe my best debate.”
Regardless of his criticisms, Trump displayed optimism about the debate’s outcome. He indicated that his supporters felt he performed well, although polls suggested Harris might have had the advantage in the event. A CNN poll, for example, found that 63% of viewers believed Harris performed better than Trump during the debate.
Trump’s call to revoke ABC News’ broadcasting license is another episode in his ongoing feud with mainstream media. Throughout his presidency and beyond, Trump has consistently targeted major news outlets, accusing them of dishonesty and bias. This latest comment adds ABC to the list of media organizations Trump has threatened, which already includes NBC, CBS, and CNN.
Observers have noted a significant difference between complaining about fact-checking and suggesting that a major media outlet should have its broadcasting license revoked. Lately, Trump has shown an authoritarian tendency, with actions such as threatening opponents with prison, praising dictators, suggesting temporary dictatorship in America, and proposing military-style mass deportations. His intention to suppress the free press is a major and extreme component of this approach.
However, legal experts have noted that it is highly unlikely for any broadcast license to be revoked due to perceived bias in debate moderation. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulates broadcast licenses, and there are strict legal standards in place to protect free speech and press freedom, making such an action improbable.
In the days following the debate, Harris’ campaign has called for a second debate between the two candidates. While Harris has expressed her willingness to debate Trump again, he has declined the offer, stating that one debate is sufficient. Trump’s refusal to participate in further debates may reflect his belief that the moderators were unfair to him, though it remains to be seen whether public pressure will result in another event.
