Donald Trump is known for branding as “rigged” anything that doesn’t meet his approval. These include a variety of elements in American society, from elections to the legal system and even award ceremonies such as the Emmys. In his view, these are all subject to manipulation by unidentified harmful entities.
Therefore, it didn’t come as a shock when Trump labeled his September 10 debate with Vice President Kamala Harris as “rigged,” a term he used both prior to and after the event.
Throughout the debate, Trump issued several untrue statements. ABC News moderators Linsey Davis and David Muir intervened on several occasions to rectify these inaccuracies. This action irked many Republicans who believed that Trump should be permitted to make false assertions without interruption, regardless of the consequences for the audience.
In a post-debate interview with “Fox & Friends,” Trump voiced his discontent with ABC News. He accused the network of prejudiced moderation, insisting that the debate was “rigged” in favor of Harris and proposed ABC News should be stripped of its broadcasting license.
The crux of Trump’s complaint was aimed at the debate’s moderators, whom he accused of unjustly correcting his statements while neglecting to fact-check Harris. “They’re dishonest,” Trump remarked when questioned about why he thought the moderators had not scrutinized Harris as rigorously. He also characterized the debate as being “three-to-one,” suggesting that both moderators favored Harris during the discussion.
“I think ABC took a big hit last night,” Trump remarked. “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.”
Throughout the interview, Trump continued to air his grievances with the media. Regardless of his frustrations, Trump affirmed that he had anticipated such treatment, stating, “Now, I didn’t mind because frankly, I was pretty sure that’s what they would do.”
On the contrary, Trump spoke favorably of the debate he participated in with President Joe Biden on CNN earlier in the election cycle. According to Trump, CNN had overseen a “much more honorably run debate,” noting that the CNN moderators abstained from fact-checking or interrogating the candidates during the event, a decision mutually agreed upon by both campaigns.
Trump also discussed Harris’ statements made during the debate. One point of dispute was Harris’ interpretation of his remarks about the white supremacist gathering in Charlottesville, Virginia. During the debate, Harris alluded to Trump’s notorious comment that there were “very fine people on both sides,” a statement made after the violent 2017 rally. Trump asserted that Harris had 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 also took exception to Harris’ claim that he intended to roll out Project 2025 and that he would endorse a national abortion ban if re-elected. “Lies,” Trump declared, suggesting that Harris’ comments were part of a larger scheme 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.”
Despite his objections, Trump seemed positive about the outcome of the debate. He suggested that his supporters believed he performed well, although polls indicated Harris may have had an advantage in the event. A CNN poll, for example, found that a majority of viewers thought Harris outperformed Trump during the debate, with 63% of those polled saying Harris had the upper hand.
Trump’s demand to revoke ABC News’ broadcasting license marks another episode in his ongoing feud with mainstream media. Throughout his presidency and beyond, Trump has regularly targeted major news outlets, accusing them of dishonesty and bias. ABC now joins the list of media organizations that Trump has threatened, which also 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 been advocating an authoritarian approach, with actions such as threatening opponents with prison, praising autocrats, suggesting temporary dictatorship in America, and proposing military-style mass deportations. His intention to suppress the free press is a significant and extreme part of this strategy.
However, legal experts point out that it is highly unlikely for any broadcasting license to be revoked due to perceived bias in debate moderation. Broadcast licenses are regulated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and strict legal standards are in place to protect free speech and press freedom, making such an action highly unlikely.
In the aftermath of the debate, Harris’ campaign has called for a second debate between the two candidates. While Harris is keen 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 biased against him, although it remains uncertain whether public pressure will lead to another event.