An explosive allegation has ignited a firestorm of controversy about media ethics and impartiality. As the story unfolds, it threatens to undermine public trust in one of the nation’s leading news outlets. Who leaked the town hall questions to Trump’s team?
Alleged Leak Raises Ethical Concerns
Alex Isenstadt’s upcoming book, “Revenge: The Inside Story of Trump’s Return to Power,” set for March publication, drops a bombshell on Fox News. The book alleges that a Fox News insider provided Donald Trump’s campaign with questions ahead of a January 2024 town hall event.
According to the book, a senior Trump aide received text messages containing images of the questions and planned follow-ups approximately 30 minutes before the town hall began. This alleged leak, if true, represents a significant breach of journalistic ethics.
"DOWN TO THE EXACT WORDING": New book alleges that someone at Fox News gave Trump’s team early look at town hall questions https://t.co/FrOvDTqJ3K pic.twitter.com/xoBC0EmHv5
— WFLA NEWS (@WFLA) January 8, 2025
Fox News Responds to Allegations
In response to these serious allegations, Fox News has issued a statement. A spokesperson for the network said, “While we do not have any evidence of this occurring, and Alex Isenstadt has conveniently refused to release the images for fact-checking, we take these matters very seriously and plan to investigate should there prove to be a breach within the network.”
The network’s commitment to investigating the matter if evidence emerges demonstrates a willingness to address the issue. However, the lack of concrete evidence at this stage leaves room for skepticism about the veracity of the claims.
NEW: Trump’s team was given the questions asked by Fox News anchors at an Iowa town hall last January in advance by someone inside the network, according to a forthcoming book, in what would be a serious breach of journalism ethics. https://t.co/tQEXHwGXXH
— Jon Cooper 🇺🇸 (@joncoopertweets) January 8, 2025
Implications for Trump’s Campaign
The alleged leak reportedly allowed Trump’s team to discuss potential answers to questions on topics including Trump divesting from his businesses, his indictments, political violence, and retribution. This early access, if true, could have given Trump a significant advantage in preparing for the town hall.
Steven Cheung, Trump’s communications director, did not directly address the allegation. Instead, he highlighted Trump’s accessibility and transparency as a candidate, stating, “President Trump was the most accessible and transparent candidate in American history, and it’s a big reason why he won in historic fashion.”