Former President Donald Trump canceled an interview with military reporter Mike Gooding after Gooding’s team was asked to provide the questions they intended to ask. The cancellation occurred following Trump’s rally in Chesapeake, Virginia, held the day after his CNN debate with President Joe Biden, where Trump made several unchallenged false statements.
During the debate, Biden confronted Trump over reports that Trump had referred to U.S. military casualties as “suckers” and “losers,” claims corroborated by Trump’s former Chief of Staff, John Kelly.
Gooding, the military correspondent for ABC affiliate WVEC’s 13News Now, was slated to interview Trump after the rally. The interview was teased on air earlier that day. However, after the rally, Trump’s campaign abruptly canceled the interview upon requesting advance knowledge of Gooding’s questions. They informed Gooding that Trump only wanted to discuss the debate topics.
Before Trump’s visit, WVEC reported on Virginia Democrats holding a press conference with veterans denouncing Trump over his remarks about military personnel.
The Biden campaign connected the interview cancellation to the debate in a campaign memo, highlighting questions Trump avoided or misled about during the debate. These included Trump’s stance on accepting the results of the 2024 election, his actions during the January 6 events, his derogatory comments towards military members, and his views on restrictive abortion laws.
It was a winding speech, meandering back and forth on a lot of different talking points and policies.
After the rally, 13News Now’s military reporter Mike Gooding was scheduled to interview Trump, but his campaign team canceled the interview after asking Gooding what his questions would be, and telling him there was no more time and Trump only wanted to talk about the debate.
