Amanpour’s Revolt: Legendary CNN Anchor Slams Her Own Boss Over Trump Town Hall, Defends Kaitlin Collins: ‘I Would Have Dropped the Mic at 'Nasty Person'
May 18 2023, Published 1:30 p.m. ET
Legendary CNN anchor Christiane Amanpour slammed Chris Licht this week over the network CEO’s controversial decision to hold a live town hall with Donald Trump, RadarOnline.com has learned.
Amanpour’s surprising revolt against Licht came on Wednesday afternoon as she stood before an audience of fresh journalism graduates and gave a commencement address at Columbia Journalism School in Morningside Heights, Manhattan.
But shortly after beginning her address, Amanpour targeted Licht and his decision to host Trump at the live town hall event in New Hampshire on May 10.
According to the CNN chief international correspondent, she spoke with Licht earlier this week to explain that the network should not have allowed the embattled former president “to appear in that particular format.”
Amanpour also revealed that Licht admitted “the execution” of the live town hall “was lacking a little,” although the network head honcho also reportedly insisted CNN “did the right thing” and the Trump town hall was “a service to the American people.”
“We know Trump and his tendencies, everyone does,” Amanpour told her audience on Wednesday. “He just seizes the stage and dominates, no matter how much flack the moderator tries to aim at the incoming. It doesn’t often work.”
“I have always opted to speak out when staying silent might have been easier,” she continued. “I want to do what’s right and empathize with and acknowledge all of those who need to trust us at CNN. I understand that for many of us, the town hall was an earthquake.”
“I hope that your trust in us might have been shaken but not shattered,” Amanpour added. “That you believe we can survive and rebuild that trust.”
Amanpour also utilized her commencement address at Columbia Journalism School on Wednesday to defend Kaitlan Collins after the rising CNN star was tasked with moderating Trump at the town hall event in New Hampshire last week.
As RadarOnline.com previously reported, the Q&A event grew tense more than once – with Trump ultimately calling Collins a “nasty person” after she pushed the former president on his alleged mishandling of classified documents after leaving the White House in January 2021.
“You’re a nasty person,” Trump said while the audience of Republican voters cheered and laughed in the background.
According to Amanpour, she would not have stood for Trump’s insults if she were the one moderating the town hall instead of Collins.
“I would have dropped the mic at ‘nasty person,’” Amanpour said on Wednesday during her address.
“But then that’s me,” she continued. “I’ve been in the ring for a long time with these people.”
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As RadarOnline.com reported, Amanpour is just the latest CNN staffer to revolt against Licht over the decision to host the Trump town hall last week.
CNN’s Oliver Darcy used his Reliable Sources newsletter to protest the CNN boss’ decision, ultimately leading Licht to hold a private meeting with Darcy that allegedly left the network media editor “visibly shaken.”
