Americans saw a pure version of Donald Trump on Wednesday, fortunately or unfortunately.
For many viewers, a 70-minute town hall-style interview on CNN provided the first long look at the former president and frontrunner for the Republican nomination since leaving the Oval Office.
For Trump, it was something of a reinjection into the mainstream of American politics. His responses to questions from moderator Kaitlan Collins and New Hampshire residents reflected proven messages in front of friendly audiences at campaign rallies, via the Truth Social media platform, and in interviews with sympathetic outlets.
There were lies. He said, for example, that he finished building a wall between the US and Mexico, and reiterated his false claim that the 2020 election was «rigged.»
There were startling promises, such as that he is «inclined to pardon many» of the January 6 insurgents.
And there was a familiar challenge: He defended his request that Georgia officials overturn the 2020 election result in his state.
«Yes, I called to question the election,» Trump said of a matter that is the subject of a criminal case in Fulton County. «I told him, ‘You owe me votes because the election was rigged.'»
For better or worse, this is the edition of Trump who has taken a commanding lead in the GOP presidential primary campaign as he stands accused of allegedly covering up secret payments to a porn star, found liable for sexual abuse and defamation of the writer E.Jean. Carroll and under investigation for the January 6 insurrection and for taking classified White House documents.
Trump, emboldened by rising poll numbers, mocked his main Republican challenger, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, questioning whether DeSantis should protect his future ambitions by avoiding a showdown now. Despite continued efforts by the Trump team to dissuade DeSantis from entering, he is expected to launch his offer soon.
Trump’s advisers and allies bragged afterward that their man had performed well.
«Full spectrum dominance,» Steve Bannon, the executive director of Trump’s 2016 campaign, said in a text message.
A senior Trump campaign official said the angry reactions from Trump’s political opponents were a sign of success.
«When the left melts, we know it was a good day,» the adviser said.
But at a town hall in New Hampshire, where independent voters are a key constituency, Trump refused to choose sides in Russia’s war in Ukraine, dodged questions about which abortion restrictions he would support federally and described Collins as «a unpleasant person». in a testy exchange.
That left him open to criticism from both his left and right flanks.
«After 76 years, Trump still doesn’t know where he stands on important conservative issues like pro-life and the second amendment,» Erin Perrine, a spokeswoman for the pro-DeSantis Never Back Down super PAC, said in a statement.
Trump «didn’t hurt himself with his main base,» said a Republican strategist who watched town hall. But he has had them.
Trump’s bravado, which included insulting Carroll and Collins, was «horrible if the goal is to get back [independent] women,» said the strategist.
Aides to President Joe Biden seized on Trump’s election denial rhetoric, his formulation that Republicans should allow the nation to default if Biden does not accept spending cuts in exchange for a debt limit increase, and his approval of the annulment of abortion protections by the Supreme Court. They also took careful note when he refused to promise that he would accept the 2024 election result.
“Weeks of damning content in an hour,” said a Biden adviser. «It was quite efficient.»
While dancing around some hot topics, Trump offered windows into his thinking on most of them. He stopped short of saying he would reinstate the family separation policy he used to deter illegal immigration during his presidency. But he hinted that he could bring it back.
«We have to save our country,» he said. «When you tell a family that if you come we are going to separate you, they don’t come.»
Trump criticized Biden for plans to end the so-called removal of Title 42 immigrants as a result of the declaration that the Covid-19 pandemic is over. As Trump did during his tenure, Biden is sending federal troops to help secure the border in anticipation of an influx of immigrants when restrictions are lifted this week.
Trump refused to call Russian President Vladimir Putin a «war criminal,» a term Biden has used to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine a year ago. He vowed again to end the war on his first day in office, but chose not to say how or which side he would like to see victorious.
«I want everyone to stop dying,» he said. «If I am president, I will have that war resolved in one day, 24 hours.»
Many experts believe that a hasty negotiation would benefit Putin and Russia.
For close observers of Trump on the campaign trail over the past few months, there were few if any surprises. His allies said Wednesday night that he looked polished.
Interacting with voters over the past six months had a «fantastic» effect on his performance Wednesday night, senior Trump adviser Jason Miller said.
«Keep in mind,» Miller said in a text message, «CNN viewers haven’t seen him discuss his political views on saving America in quite some time.»