In protest of the Republican debate hosted by CNN, GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump instead agreed to a town hall event hosted by Fox News in Iowa ahead of the state’s caucus next week. Hosted by Martha MacCallum and Bret Baier, the former president was asked a series of questions from Fox and from the crowd.
Vice President
In one particularly notable exchange, Trump said he has already chosen a running mate but did not reveal who it is.
“If you are the nominee, which I know you expect to be, who would be in the running for Vice President?” MacCallum asked.
“I can’t tell you that really, I mean, I know who it’s going to be,” Trump replied.
“Can you give us a hint?” Baier asked.
“We’ll do another show sometime,” Trump said.
Trump has previously expressed interest in choosing a woman to be his VP, and there were rumors that his wife Melania was pushing for former Fox host Tucker Carlson. However, when asked by Valuetainment founder Patrick Bet-David if he would accept the role, Carlson demurred and said he was not cut out for elected office.
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Dictatorship
The Fox hosts again gave Trump an opportunity to confirm he will not obstruct democracy and promote “political violence.”
There is an ongoing narrative claiming that Trump will refuse to leave office after his second term and will engage in dictatorial behavior. Trump had previously joked to Fox host Sean Hannity that he would be a dictator only for “day one,” during which he will close the border and commence widespread oil drilling. Trump brought this joke up during the town hall and criticized the media for taking it out of context.
Barack Obama apparently confided in his former Attorney General Eric Holder that there will be “incalculable damage” to the country if Trump wins again, as reported by USA Today this week.
Trump said “of course” he won’t refuse to leave office and pointed out that there was more peace and political order under his term than under Biden’s.
"I am not going to be a dictator" — Trump pic.twitter.com/2laB5FLANF
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 11, 2024
DeSantis
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who was participating in CNN’s debate, was also brought up, giving Trump the opportunity to mock his one-time ally’s “fancy shoes” and criticize his perceived betrayal.
“I don’t know what he really believes, because you never know with a politician—and he’s just another politician, as far as I’m concerned. But his poll numbers have gone down to a level that he’s going to be out of the race very soon… You like Ron DeSantis, but he wouldn’t even be around today, he’d be working at a pizza shop, or perhaps a law firm, if I didn’t endorse him.”
Other Topics
Trump also touted the successes of his first term, pointing to his foreign policy, his handling of COVID, his economy, and his energy surplus.
He claimed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine would not have occurred if he was president, a claim he has made several times previously. He also cited Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s comment that the main way to prevent WWIII is through electing Trump.
Trump also took credit for the overturning of Roe v. Wade (as he appointed three of the five justices that voted for it), and argued that the left’s current position on the issue is the true radical stance, referencing late-term abortions.
Shane Devine is a writer covering politics, economics, and culture for Valuetainment. Follow Shane on X (Twitter).
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