Donald Trump’s town hall with CNN Wednesday drew criticism from commentators in the liberal media who spoke out against the network’s decision to give a platform to the former president.

MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough said he wasn’t sure why CNN "didn't just cut him off." "The View's" Joy Behar added that she didn’t know the audience would be "filled with his cult." "I would like to know if CNN was passing out Kool-Aid before the event started," she said. And Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., argued it was a "profoundly irresponsible decision" to allow Trump to be platformed. 

CNN moderator Kaitlan Collins asked Trump a series of questions about his claim that the 2020 presidential election was "rigged," his involvement on Jan. 6 and the verdict that found him liable for defamation and battery against his accuser E. Jean Carroll. 

Fox News’ Jesse Watters argued on "The Five" Thursday that the town hall format was "perfect" for Trump. 

"You're going to put President Trump live in the middle of a little arena surrounded by fans up against a 30-year-old CNN anchor? Oh, my God. I mean, that was not fair last night. That's what everybody wants to see," he explained. "And so CNN, I think, did well, though, because CNN is making a business decision here. They're going to pivot and say, we're going to play in this political game in the primary maybe, and we're going to chase ratings. They got a good number last night, and we're going to try to be normal again like we used to."

Watters said the media was acting "hysterical" because their strategy to "censure and scandalize" the president didn’t work. 

CNN FACING ‘FURY’ FROM STAFFERS OVER TRUMP TOWN HALL: ‘IT FELT LIKE 2016 ALL OVER AGAIN’

"Trump's been out in the wilderness for a while, and now he's coming back to the mainstream media. He's re-entered. He's becoming more commercially viable, and that's what he's wanted. And when he started off really calm and relaxed, that was smart," he said. "They wanted him to go out there thrashing around, and he didn't. But he built up a crescendo. And then at the end, he called her ‘nasty.’ And that was the best part. He loves conflict. The media hates conflict because the media wants 100% agreement."

"So Trump and the media don't mix. And they're going to have to wrap their heads around this because he is going to be appearing on some of their programs and the way they conducted that did not work for them. And that's why the media is so scared because they see how powerful he is once he gets his message out."

"Five" co-host Jessica Tarlov said the media finds itself between a rock and a hard place in covering Trump because he is currently the 2024 GOP front-runner but says things that need to be fact-checked. 

CNN BLASTED BY ITS OWN ANALYST FOR TRUMP TOWN HALL: ‘GUY WHO TRIED TO GET ME KILLED’

"I think that it is important to make sure that people at least hear some pushback, whether they actually process what it is that you said in response-- that the truth does have to get out there," she explained. "And there was such an incredible cascade of lies flowing out of his mouth from the border wall. He said, you know, I secured the whole thing. It's 1900 miles long. He did 52 new miles. The documents. Obama took documents-- didn't happen. Joe Biden didn't comply. Joe Biden did comply. Perfect phone calls with Brad Raffensperger and with Zelenskyy. That Democrats support infanticide?! And Kaitlan Collins, let that one go."

"And I thought that that was a major losing moment for her, because if you want to make the Dobbs decision a focal point, which it absolutely will be in this election, and you hear the former president say the Democrats support abortion up till nine months, even after the baby's born-- complete dereliction of duty. And on the day after he gets a ruling that he sexually abused and defamed E. Jean Carroll, he calls her a whack job and the audience is laughing. It was A) just appalling." 

Fox News' Joey Wulfsohn contributed to this report
 

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, shared a pair of videos to Twitter late Thursday evening showing what he found during a visit near the Rio Grande along the United States-Mexico border in Brownsville, Texas.

In the first video, Cruz is standing next to a barbed wire barrier that runs along the border when he points toward Mexico, noting there are "over 22,000 illegal immigrants right across the river."

"Joe Biden, this is your fault," Cruz said in the video, scolding the president.

"The people who are killed crossing illegally, that is your fault," he continued. "The women who are sexually abused crossing illegally, that is your fault. The children who are brutalized crossing illegally, that is your fault. The people who are dying of drug overdoses — over 100,000 last year — that is your fault."

MAYORKAS SAYS 24,000 BORDER AGENTS READY TO STOP MIGRANT SURGE AS TITLE 42 EXPIRES: 'BORDER IS NOT OPEN'

Cruz urged the president to take responsibility for the current border crisis, demanding that he visit the border so he can see the madness first-hand.

"Come down here President Biden. Stop hiding in the basement, stop pretending this misery is not your fault, stop it. This is not humane, this is not compassionate. This is cruel," Cruz said.

"You can see the lights, you can see a fire," Cruz explained. "If you look, they are waiting for Title 42 to expire, and then the invasion we are going to see is going to be massive."

He continued: "We already have the worst illegal immigration in the history of our country and in just a few hours it’s getting worse."

In a second video, Cruz walked along a road near the Rio Grande and said he found a sandal belonging to girl who is "no more than 5 or 6 years old."

FEDERAL JUDGE BLOCKS BIDEN ADMIN FROM RELEASING MIGRANTS WITHOUT COURT DATES AS TITLE 42 EXPIRES

"She might even be younger than that," he continued, describing the current immigration situation as "horrific and cruel." Cruz also said blame for the border crisis should rest squarely with President Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and "every congressional Democrat."

The video was shared on Twitter just 30 minutes before the Title 42 public health order is set to expire at 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, May 11.

The Republican added: "Biden brought back catch and release, he halted construction of the wall, & he ended the Remain in Mexico policy. Now Biden has let #Title42 expire!"

"There is a full-blown invasion unfolding, and Texas is paying the price," Cruz added in a third tweet late Thursday evening, again blaming President Biden and Department of Homeland Security Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas.

MAYORKAS ISSUES NEW WARNING TO MIGRANTS AS BORDER PATROL MAKES RECORD APPREHENSIONS AHEAD OF TITLE 42 END

Around the same time of Cruz’s stern rebuke, Sec. Mayorkas released his own statement claiming that the U.S.-Mexico border remains secure and affirmed Border Patrol agents would continue to remove migrants.

"The border is not open," Mayorkas said in a video. "Starting tonight, people who arrive at the border without using a lawful pathway will be presumed ineligible for asylum."

He added: "We have 24,000 Border Patrol Agents and Officers at the Southwest Border and have surged thousands of troops and contractors, and over a thousand asylum officers to help enforce our laws. Do not believe the lies of smugglers."

AS MIGRANT WAVE HITS THE BORDER, MAYORKAS SAYS IT WILL ‘TAKE TIME’ FOR RESULTS OF TITLE 42 PLAN TO BE REALIZED

Immigration officials have warned for weeks that the expiration of Title 42 public health order, a COVID-era rule that authorized border officials to swiftly remove migrants, would prompt a surge of migrants to the border.

Customs and Border Protection agents have encountered more than 10,000 individuals at the border on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of this week, just before Title 42’s expiration, sources told Fox News.

Each of these is the highest-ever single-day record. Officials have predicted the border could see as many as 14,000 migrants daily after Title 42 expires.

Lawmakers in Congress, both Republicans and Democrats, have criticized President Biden’s handling of border security between the U.S. and Mexico.