The 8 most bizarre things that Trump said during his CNN town hall

Donald Trump just took part in a CNN town hall - and unsurprisingly he said some bonkers things.

In a 90 minute event, he took questions from moderator Kaitlan Collins and members of the audience – specifically Republican voters from New Hampshire - and defended his past behaviour, repeated false claims about the 2020 election, and more.

What he said was so contested that Democrat politician Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called platforming the former president “shameful”.

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Meanwhile, the Lincoln Project, a Republican group opposing him, said in a statement: “Tonight’s disaster must be a lesson that every other news organisation on earth must learn: DO NOT NORMALISE DONALD TRUMP. CNN gave Trump 90 minutes of uninterrupted air time to rewrite history and reset his own narrative.”

So what exactly did he say?

Here are the lowlights:

1. False election claims

Barely two minutes in, Trump repeated false claims about the 2020 presidential election.

“That was a rigged election,” Trump said and claimed people who thought otherwise were "stupid".

Throughout the interview, he continued making similar claims.

2. Defended the Capitol riots

Talking about the events of January 6, 2021, the former president quickly began boasting about the size of the crowd he spoke to before some began marching on the Capitol and said the attendees believed the election was “rigged”.

“They were there proud. They were there with love in their heart. That was unbelievable and it was a beautiful day,” Trump said.

Later, he said he would "pardon many" people who participated in the riots if he became president again.

3. Calling E Jean Carroll a 'whack job'

This week, a New York jury found Trump liable for sexually abusing writer E Jean Carroll nearly 30 years ago, and defaming her when she spoke about it publicly.

But Trump didn't accept this verdict.

“I have no idea who the hell [this is],” Trump said. “She’s a whack job.”

“I never met this woman. I never saw this woman,” Trump said. “What kinda woman meets somebody and brings them up, and within minutes you’re playing hanky-panky in a dressing room?”

4. Defended taking classified documents

Trump defended keeping top-secret and confidential government documents at his Florida estate Mar-a-Lago, which is now the subject of a Justice Department probe.

“I had every right to do it. I didn’t make a secret of it,” Trump said.

5. Called his interviewer "nasty"

We'll just leave this clip here...

6. Putin is a 'smart guy'

Trump praised “smart guy” Vladimir Putin. Just what you want to hear...

He would not state whether he wanted Ukraine to win its war against Russia. “I want everybody to stop dying,” Trump said. “Russians and Ukrainians, I want them to stop dying. And I’ll have that done. I’ll have that done in 24 hours.”

7. Defended gun rights

Trump said "he protected" the 2nd amendment [that allows people to carry firearms] "through thick and thin".

He said "it is not the gun that pulls the trigger its the person that pulls the trigger".

8. Abortion comments

Trump defended repealing Roe v Wade, calling it "an incredible thing for pro-life".

He called pro-choice people "radical".

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