Donald Trump appears live on longtime adversary CNN

Former US president Donald Trump has maintained his stance about the 2020 election, downplayed the violence on January 6, 2021, and repeatedly insulted the woman whom a civil jury this week found him liable of sexually abusing and defaming, during a contentious CNN town hall.

Trump, returning to the network after years of acrimony on Wednesday, also refused to say whether he wants Ukraine to win the fight against Russian aggression and said the US "might as well" default on its debt obligation, despite the potential devastating economic consequences.

The former president was cheered on and applauded by an audience of Republican and unaffiliated voters as moderator Kaitlan Collins sometimes struggled to get a word in edgewise.

Trump — who at one point snapped that Collins was "a nasty person" — continued to insist the 2020 election had been "rigged," even though state and federal election officials, his own campaign and White House aides, and numerous courts have said there is no evidence to support his claims.

"Most people understand that what happened was a rigged election," Trump said of his 2020 presidential election defeat by Democrat Joe Biden.

Trump also defended his delayed response on January 6, when a mob of his supporters violently stormed the Capitol in a bid to halt the certification of President Biden's win.

Trump — who pulled out a printout of his tweets from that day — instead lashed out at the Black police officer who shot and killed rioter Ashli Babbit, calling him a "thug."

He said he is inclined to pardon "a large portion" of January 6 defendants — more than 670 rioters have been convicted of crimes related to that day.

'Fake news'

The primetime forum — the first major television event of the 2024 presidential campaign and Trump's first interview appearance on CNN since before he was elected president in 2016 — had drawn suspicion from both sides of the political divide since it was announced.

Democrats questioned whether a man who continues to spread lies about his 2020 election loss — lies that sparked the Capitol riot —- should be given a primetime platform. Conservatives wondered why Trump would appear on — and potentially give a ratings bump to — a network he has continually disparaged.

But the stakes were raised considerably on Tuesday after jurors in New York found Trump had sexually abused and defamed advice columnist E. Jean Carroll, though they rejected her claim that he raped her nearly three decades ago.

Trump, at Wednesday's event, called the case "fake news" and insisted he didn't know Carroll, even as he attacked her in deeply personal terms.

"She's a wack job," he said, drawing laughs from the crowd.

While the civil trial verdict carried no criminal penalties, it is just one of a myriad of legal issues facing Trump, who was indicted in New York in March over payments made to women to cover up their allegations of extramarital affairs with him.

Trump is also facing investigations in Georgia and Washington over his alleged interference in the 2020 election and his handling of classified documents and potential obstruction of justice.

A small group of anti-Trump protesters gathered on Wednesday evening outside the site where the town hall was being held at Saint Anselm College in Manchester. Their signs included messages like "Nobody is above the law" and "Elections not insurrection."

Dodges questions

Trump, during the town hall, also refused to answer a number of specific questions. He refused to say whether he would sign a federal abortion ban, despite repeated pressing. He said only that he would "negotiate" so "people are happy."

"I'm looking at a solution that’s going to work," he said.

He also refused to say whether he wants Ukraine to win its fight against Russian aggression.

"I want everybody to stop dying. They're dying. Russians and Ukrainians. I want them to stop dying. And I'll have that done," Trump said, opposing the establishment Republican policy of backing Kiev.

"I'll have that done in 24 hours. I'll have it done. You need the power of the presidency to do it," Trump said, adding he thinks that "Putin made a mistake" by invading Ukraine.

When asked to elaborate, Trump said, "His mistake was going in. He would have never gone in if I was president."

As for the looming risk of an unprecedented government default, Trump sounded blase.

"Well, you might as well do it now because you'll do it later because we have to save this country," he said.

Biden responded to the town hall on Twitter, writing: "It's simple, folks. Do you want four more years of that? If you don't, pitch in to our campaign."

Trump has long called CNN "fake news" and sparred with Collins.

Nonetheless, Trump's team saw the invitation from CNN as an opportunity to connect with a broader swath of voters than those who usually tune into the conservative outlets he favours.

The appearance contrasted with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who is seen as a top rival to Trump for the GOP presidential nomination in 2024 and is expected to launch his campaign soon.