Billy Bush claims ABC News had a division to ‘get’ Trump in 2016 election
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Former TV host Billy Bush alleged ABC News had a whole “division” devoted to “get” donald trump in the course of the 2016 election.
“ABC News had a division. They had a division dedicated with 75 people in it — because I knew the guy who ran the division, which was dedicated to basically getting him,” Bush mentioned on Thursday’s installment of the “Hang Out with Sean Hannity” podcast.
Bush, who was swept up in the notorious “Access Hollywood” tape that just about derailed Trump’s first presidential marketing campaign, recalled the final assembly he had with then-NBC News chairman Andy Lack earlier than Bush was hosted on the Peacock community.
ABC News had a 75-person division devoted to “get” Donald Trump in the course of the 2016 election, in accordance to Billy Bush. (Christopher Gregory/Getty Images)
“I said, ‘Andy, I understand what you want to do with this [the “Access Hollywood” footage] and what you want to weaponize this because there’s a debate on Sunday night, the second debate with Hillary and Donald,'” Bush mentioned. “And sure enough, it was the first question to come out of Anderson Cooper’s mouth. He was the moderator.”
“This was it! This was – there has always been an ‘it’ to get Trump, but this was definitely it at the time,” he continued. “But I said, ‘Look, it’s wrong. I understand that you’ve got something here that you think is relevant, but it’s wrong. I mean, I chit-chat with Sean Hannity, you know, 15 minutes before we sit down for an interview. The camera happens to be rolling. Whatever we talk about is not usable… that can’t be [weaponized] but this was a special circumstance because of who was running and how they felt about him.”
When requested for remark, Bush declined to establish who allegedly ran the alleged anti-Trump division at ABC News however steered the individual now not works on the community. ABC News didn’t instantly reply to Fox News Digital’s request for remark.
Sage Steele and Billy Bush opened up to Fox News Channel’s Sean Hannity on the “Hang Out with Sean Hannity” podcast. (FOX News Media)
The Disney-owned community has had a lengthy, contentious relationship with Trump. In 2017, ABC News was compelled to retract a report alleging that fired National Security Adviser Michael Flynn would testify that Trump had ordered him to make contact with Russians about overseas insurance policies whereas Trump was nonetheless a candidate. The report raised the specter of Trump’s impeachment and despatched the inventory market plummeting. Brian Ross, the chief investigative correspondent behind the false report, was later forced out of the network.
In December 2024, simply weeks earlier than Trump was sworn into workplace for his second time period, ABC News paid a $16 million settlement to Trump after he filed a defamation lawsuit earlier in the 12 months for feedback made by “This Week” anchor George Stephanopoulos.
Stephanopoulos had falsely claimed that Trump was “found liable for rape” in the E. Jean Carroll case when, in reality, a civil jury dominated he was chargeable for “sexual abuse.” ABC News issued an apology as a part of the settlement, which was reportedly authorized by then-Disney CEO Bob Iger.
Last 12 months, longtime ABC News correspondent Terry Moran was fired for attacking Trump and White House aide Stephen Miller on social media.
ABC News paid a $16 million settlement to Trump in December 2024 after George Stephanopoulos falsely claimed Trump was “found liable for rape” in the E. Jean Carroll case. (Gary Hershorn/Getty Images)
