PHOENIX — A forthcoming book alleges that an insider at Fox News provided Donald Trump’s campaign with advance questions prior to a town hall event organized by the network in January 2024. This claim originates from “Revenge: The Inside Story of Trump’s Return to Power,” written by Politico journalist Alex Isenstadt, set to be released in March.
According to excerpts from the book, approximately 30 minutes before the Iowa town hall was set to begin, a senior aide for Trump began receiving text messages from a Fox News employee. These messages reportedly included images of all the questions intended for Trump, as well as anticipated follow-up queries, complete with specific wording.
In response to these allegations, a spokesperson for Fox News indicated that they take such matters seriously and plan to investigate if a breach occurred, though they noted that no evidence has been presented to corroborate this claim. The spokesperson also mentioned that Isenstadt has not provided the images for verification.
There was some internal debate within Trump’s campaign regarding whether he should participate in the town hall, during which it was suggested that Trump was not adequately preparing for the event, opting to “wing it” instead. These issues were first highlighted by CNN in a report on the book’s excerpts.
The questions revealed by Isenstadt included topics such as whether Trump would divest from his businesses if elected, and concerns regarding his viability as the Republican nominee given his legal challenges, including indictments. Trump would also face inquiries about disavowing political violence and whether his administration would have a focus on retribution.
Despite his dissatisfaction with the questions, the early access allowed Trump’s team to strategize on their responses. Granting a presidential hopeful advance access to town hall questions is seen as a violation of journalistic ethics; normally, networks hosting debates and similar events work diligently to maintain question confidentiality and avoid leaks.
Trump’s communications director, Steven Cheung, opted not to address the specific allegations regarding the question leaks but emphasized that President Trump was the most accessible and transparent candidate in U.S. history, attributing his historic victory in the past to this accessibility.
