President Donald Trump has been on an anti-Fox News tear lately. On Tuesday, Trump criticized Fox for providing a platform to “Crazy Bernie” Sanders and suggested that host Brett Baier gave the democratic socialist a flattering reception. It was Trump’s most recent shot at the network that liberals often deride as “state media” for its friendly coverage of the president.
While Trump often criticizes the liberal media for dishonest coverage, it is unusual for him to target Fox News. But lately, Fox has been in the president’s Twitter crosshairs as often as CNN.
Trump slams Fox over Bernie, Brazile
When the network brought on Sanders Monday, Trump fired off a barbed tweet targeting Bret Baier for giving Sanders “smiley and nice” coverage — and dinged the network for hiring former Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Donna Brazile as a contributor last month.
So weird to watch Crazy Bernie on @FoxNews. Not surprisingly, @BretBaier and the “audience” was so smiley and nice. Very strange, and now we have @donnabrazile?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 16, 2019
Sanders received a warm reception at the town hall Monday night as he savaged Trump’s character and laid out his far-left policy agenda. Hosts Baier and Martha McCallum gave Sanders an unplanned boost when they asked the audience whether they would give up private health insurance to adopt Sanders’ government-run Medicare-for-All, prompting an unexpected burst of applause.
For Trump, Sanders’ appearance on Fox in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, the heart of Trump country, was an unwelcome surprise. Along with Joe Biden, Sanders is a frontrunner in the Democratic race, and, like Biden, his working-class appeal could pose a challenge to Trump in the Rust Belt.
Trump acknowledged this reality Tuesday, although he struck as confident a pose as ever, tweeting, “I believe it will be Crazy Bernie Sanders vs. Sleepy Joe Biden as the two finalists to run against maybe the best Economy in the history of our Country (and MANY other great things)! I look forward to facing whoever it may be. May God Rest Their Soul!”
Trump attacked Fox again Tuesday with the claim that his supporters were barred from entering the town hall. Fox rebuffed the notion that Trump supporters were shut out, stating that the audience was “diverse.”
“Many Trump Fans & Signs were outside of the @FoxNews Studio last night in the now thriving (Thank you President Trump) Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, for the interview with Crazy Bernie Sanders. Big complaints about not being let in-stuffed with Bernie supporters. What’s with @FoxNews?” Trump tweeted.
Baier replied to Trump in a tweet, writing, “Thanks for watching Mr. President — we’d love to have you on a town hall soon — or even an interview on @SpecialReport — it’s been awhile. We cover all sides.”
Trump/Fox rift?
CNN’s Chris Cuomo seized on Trump’s use of “we” as a slip of the tongue proving a too-close relationship between Trump and Fox. But it’s no secret that the network’s prime-time coverage is mostly friendly to the president, and at any rate, MSNBC and CNN anchors like Cuomo essentially take their marching orders straight from the DNC.
Given the ordinarily friendly coverage he receives, it’s not surprising Trump found it “weird” to see a socialist bashing him on Fox. But Trump’s criticism nevertheless reflects a rift at Fox between the mostly pro-Trump opinion hosts like Tucker Carlson, Laura Ingraham, Sean Hannity and the hosts of “Fox and Friends,” and the network’s executives and “hard news” division, which includes journalists and debate moderators who are more willing to break with Trump, including Baier, McCallum, Chris Wallace and Shepard Smith, whose frequent criticism of the president would fit right in on MSNBC or CNN.
Trump’s most recent salvo comes a month after another anti-Fox fusillade that targeted Smith, who Trump said “should be working” at CNN alongside Arthel Neville and Leland Vittert, who Trump suggested were “trained” by his Fake News nemesis.
“Were @FoxNews weekend anchors, @ArthelNeville and @LelandVittert, trained by CNN prior to their ratings collapse? In any event, that’s where they should be working, along with their lowest rated anchor, Shepard Smith!” Trump tweeted.
Fox’s decision to host Sanders comes after the Democratic party shut out the network from hosting any of its primary debates, a coveted gig for media outlets. The Democrats said that decision was prompted by a New Yorker report describing a too-comfortable relationship between Trump and the network. Fox has also faced advertiser boycotts targeting Carlson and Jeanine Pirro, two of its top pro-Trump pundits.
In recent weeks, the network appears to have taken steps to balance its pro-Trump reputation and protect the bottom line. Amid a change in leadership, Fox suspended Pirro for two weeks over comments about Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) while simultaneously taking on Brazile as a contributor, leaving many Fox fans — and, it seems, Trump — flabbergasted. Fox’s decision to suspend Pirro prompted Trump to weigh in with a furious tweetstorm urging the network to bring her back.
“Fox must stay strong and fight back with vigor. Stop working soooo hard on being politically correct, which will only bring you down, and continue to fight for our Country. The losers all want what you have, don’t give it to them. Be strong & prosper, be weak & die! Stay true to the people that got you there,” the president tweeted.
Meanwhile, Democrat presidential candidates including Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar are in talks with Fox for more town halls.
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