<!-- wp:html --><p>Photo Illustration by Erin O’Flynn/The Daily Beast/Getty Images</p>
<p>For <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/donald-trumps-shortlist-of-vice-president-picks-all-have-one-thing-in-common">Donald Trump</a>, the initial plan seemed simple.</p>
<p>By agreeing to an exclusive town hall in <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/new-hampshire-dems-promise-a-fight-for-first-in-the-nation-primary-spot">New Hampshire</a> with his biggest cable news nemesis—<a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/donald-trump-begs-supporters-to-donate-for-upcoming-lawsuit-against-cnn">CNN</a>—the 2024 Republican frontrunner was poised for a made-for-primetime clash to delight his followers, set off his critics, and suck up the political oxygen in the critical early primary state.</p>
<p>Just over 24 hours before Trump’s scheduled sit-down, however, whatever hopes he had to ambush CNN turned into what one of his former advisers called “walking into a complete ambush.”</p>
<p><a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/terrible-timing-of-donald-trumps-town-hall-has-allies-freaking-out">Read more at The Daily Beast.</a></p><!-- /wp:html -->
Photo Illustration by Erin O’Flynn/The Daily Beast/Getty Images
By agreeing to an exclusive town hall in New Hampshire with his biggest cable news nemesis—CNN—the 2024 Republican frontrunner was poised for a made-for-primetime clash to delight his followers, set off his critics, and suck up the political oxygen in the critical early primary state.
Just over 24 hours before Trump’s scheduled sit-down, however, whatever hopes he had to ambush CNN turned into what one of his former advisers called “walking into a complete ambush.”
