On Thursday, former President Donald Trump was convicted on all 34 counts in a case involving falsified business records related to the hush money scandal with Stormy Daniels. The verdict makes Trump the first U.S. president ever to be convicted of a felony.
Amid the fallout, both X and the cable news network NewsNation are preparing to host live town halls featuring the embattled former President and independent presidential hopeful Robert F. Kennedy Jr., according to two insiders who spoke to Axios.
Sources indicate that both individuals have provisionally consented to take part in distinct live interviews as part of an upcoming video series titled “The People’s Town Hall.” However, the specific dates and venues for these interviews have yet to be determined. In the meantime, the Biden campaign has opted not to participate, the outlet noted.
Per Axios:
While every other social network in the country is retreating from politics, X is looking to lean in as part of its wider push into creator video.
- X CEO Linda Yaccarino said last week that X paid out over $50 million in ad revenue to creators since she became CEO last year.
- The live feeds will be available to all X users globally.
The new live town hall format will allow users to submit questions to debate moderators before the event and in real time, a source familiar with X’s plans told Axios.
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Moderators will have final say over what is asked. Moderators for each event have not yet been determined, but they will likely include at least one NewsNation host, alongside other journalists.
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X will create a live event page for each town hall to promote the live feed and curate conversations around the event.
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Sources told Axios that Yaccarino approached NewsNation parent Nexstar about the concept. The idea, from her point of view, is to make X the destination in which everyday people can have a greater voice in the political process.
Trump is reportedly contemplating appointing tech mogul Elon Musk to a crucial advisory position if he reclaims the White House this November. Insiders, as first reported by The Wall Street Journal, indicate that the Tesla CEO could play a significant role in shaping policies on economic matters and border security under a potential Trump administration. Additionally, Musk seems to be involved in a substantial election integrity initiative for the forthcoming election.
The pair, who reportedly met several times and maintain regular communication, discussed ways in which Musk could provide “formal input” on a range of topics. This is not the first time the two high-profile figures have discussed serious topics.
See also: Trump Ally Sends Republicans Playbook For Ending Biden ‘Election Interference Lawfare’
Intriguingly, Musk, who owns the social media platform X and has become a significant influencer, has opted not to contribute financially to any presidential campaign this year. Rather, his efforts seem to be concentrated on utilizing his broad connections across different sectors to influence the impending election. This effort includes a collaborative initiative with billionaire investor Nelson Peltz, focusing on rallying support for a “data-driven” project designed to address voter fraud, an issue that has sparked debate in past elections.
In addition, Musk and Peltz have allegedly informed Trump about their influence campaign targeting U.S. business leaders, urging them to withhold support from Trump’s main rival, Biden.
Disclaimer: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.