The ABC cut away from Donald Trump’s national address shortly after he began detailing China’s interference in the 2020 Presidential Election.
The national broadcaster shocked viewers after it stopped carrying the address live less than 10 minutes into the more than 25-minute address.
Instead, the ABC’s News Channel threw to brief analysis from US Correspondent Laura Tingle, who led the segment by mocking the President’s voice.
“It is interesting there was a lot of talk about a lot of networks only running the first few minutes of the speech,” she said moments after the ABC cut away from the speech.
“At this stage it sounds like apart from the fact that Donald Trump sounds very unwell, which I think is one of the really shocking things about watching those opening remarks.”
While the President was still addressing the nation on bombshell CIA intelligence, which revealed China had compromised 220 million voters’ data, the ABC returned to regular broadcasting.
The ABC covered domestic stories including the methanol poisoning crisis in Laos, Pauline Hanson’s interview with Tommy Robinson and Victorian school strikes.
An ABC spokesperson defended the broadcaster’s decision to cut away from the speech and said Tingle’s comments “referred to President Trump’s delivery during the address”.
“The ABC broadcast the opening of President Trump’s address and brought the audience updates from the US, as well as analysis,” the spokesperson told SkyNews.com.au.
Trump used the address to announce he would declassify intelligence that he claimed showed “large-scale electoral fraud”.
The speech came as major US broadcasters also decided not to air the address on their main platforms.
ABC and NBC both declined to carry the speech on their flagship television channels, instead making it available through streaming services.
CNN also chose not to broadcast the address on its main cable network, providing coverage through its website and subscription streaming platform.
Trump argued the networks’ decisions were deliberate.
WATCH PRESIDENT TRUMP’S ADDRESS IN FULL
After announcing the release of intelligence relating to election security, he singled out the broadcasters by name.
“They knew what it was about. Because of the fact that they don’t like the topic, because they know how corrupt our system is, and they don’t want to reveal it,” he said during his speech.
The President went further, accusing parts of the media of working together to suppress information.
“They and others in the media are part of a plot, they want to continue this fraud for whatever reason,” he said.
“They want to keep it going. They want to protect the radical left. They can’t have a great country.
“All we want is honesty in our elections and honesty and reporting.”