The claim is accurate because The Hill reported that Jon Ossoff referred to Donald Trump as a "draft-dodging crook president" during a Georgia town hall on August 18, 2026, while CNN described the gathering as a joint campaign rally.
True
Jon Ossoff called Donald Trump a “draft-dodging crook president” at a town hall meeting in Georgia.
Jon Ossoff calls Trump’s handling of Iran war ‘uniquely despicable’ in excoriating speech - Georgia | The Guardian
Source: theguardian.com
At a glance
Verified August 18, 2026Key Evidence
The Hill attributed the remark directly to Jon Ossoff during a town hall involving Georgia voters.
CNN independently reported the same description of President Trump at a Georgia gathering featuring Senator Mark Kelly.
Although the event is variously identified as a town hall, rally, or campaign event, the reported statement is consistent across the coverage.
The reporting
What the Evidence Shows
Several reports published on August 18, 2026, support the main assertion.
- The Hill said Senator Jon Ossoff described President Trump as a "draft-dodging crook president" while speaking with Georgia voters at a town hall.
- CNN also reported the remark and showed Ossoff appearing with Senator Mark Kelly at a Georgia campaign gathering. Its video caption likewise included the wording "draft-dodging, crook president."
- The Guardian and a separate CNN article added context, noting that Ossoff had intensified his criticism of Trump and the administration during his 2026 reelection effort in Georgia.
The reports vary somewhat in their descriptions of the gathering. The Hill labels it a town hall, whereas CNN calls it a joint campaign rally or campaign event. This distinction does not affect the central point that Ossoff used the quoted characterization of Trump at a public political gathering in Georgia. Some accounts also include a comma in the phrase, but that punctuation difference does not change its meaning.
Primary trail
Verified Sources10
Open source