A forthcoming book alleges that someone within Fox News provided Donald Trump's presidential campaign with the questions he would face ahead of a town hall produced by the network in January 2024. The claim is detailed in a book titled 'Revenge: The Inside Story of Trump’s Return to Power' by a Politico reporter, set to be published in March.
According to the book, about 30 minutes before the town hall in Iowa, a senior Trump aide received text messages from an insider at Fox News containing images of all the questions Trump would be asked, including planned follow-ups with exact wording. Fox News has stated that while they do not have evidence of this occurring and the images have not been released for fact-checking, they take the matter seriously and plan to investigate any potential breach within the network.
Reportedly, Trump's team was divided on whether he should participate in the town hall with Fox News hosts Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum. The book suggests that Trump was not adequately preparing for the event and would be 'winging it.' The leaked list of questions indicated that Trump would be asked about divesting from his businesses if elected, his potential risk as a Republican nominee due to indictments, disavowing political violence, and the focus of his White House on retribution.
Although Trump was reportedly unhappy with the questions, the advance notice allowed his team to strategize responses. Providing a presidential candidate with an advance look at questions is considered a breach of journalism ethics. Networks typically maintain strict confidentiality around planned questions for events like debates and town halls to prevent leaks.
Trump's communications director did not directly address the allegation but emphasized Trump's accessibility and transparency during his candidacy, attributing it as a key factor in his historic election victory.
