3 Points From Trump's Fox News Town Hall

Former POTUS once again compares his legal issues to Navalny's death
By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 21, 2024 1:00 AM CST
3 Points From Trump's Fox News Town Hall
Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump speaks during a Fox News Channel town hall Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024, in Greenville, S.C.   (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

Donald Trump again made a comparison between his own legal troubles and the imprisonment and death of Alexei Navalny, doubling down on comments he made shortly after the Russian dissident died while jailed in a remote arctic prison. "Navalny is a very sad situation and he's very brave, he was a very brave guy," Trump said in response to a question from Laura Ingraham during a Fox News Channel town hall that aired Tuesday night after being recorded earlier in the day in South Carolina. "He went back, he could have stayed away, and frankly probably would have been a lot better off staying away and talking from outside of the country as opposed to having to go back in, because people thought that could happen, and it did happen." More, plus two other notable topics from the town hall:

  • Navalny, continued: "And it's a horrible thing, but it's happening in our country, too," Trump said, suggesting that his criminal indictments are evidence America is "turning into a communist country in many ways." "I got indicted four times ... all because of the fact that I'm in politics. They indicted me on things that are so ridiculous," he said. He also mentioned his recent loss in a civil fraud trial. "It is a form of Navalny," he said. "It is a form of communism, of fascism." He did not mention Russian President Vladimir Putin at all.

  • Nikki Haley: Four days ahead of the GOP presidential primary in South Carolina, where the state's own former two-term governor is trailing him in the polls, Trump said of Haley, "You're not supposed to lose your home state. It shouldn't happen anyway and she's losing it bigly." He also said once again that he's ruled out Haley as a running mate. "I don't think she knows how to get out" of the race, Trump continued. "She just can't get herself to get out."
  • Joe Biden: Trump said he doesn't believe the president will debate him. Asked by Ingraham if he'd challenge Biden to a debate, he replied, "I'll do it right now on your show. I'll challenge him right now." He said he'd "take anybody" as debate moderator, adding, "I think you have an obligation in this case, you really have an obligation to debate. As many as necessary. I could do it starting now." Biden has not said whether he will participate in any debates.
(More Donald Trump stories.)

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