Trouble in paradise: Trump attacks Fox News – and Fox News hits back
The honeymoon between Donald Trump and his TV network of choice is showing signs of strain. Following a series of swipes at Fox News from the White House this summer, Neil Cavuto has become the latest network personality to push back against the president’s expectations of uninterrupted praise.Cavuto said on Thursday: “First of all, Mr President, we don’t work for you. I don’t work for you. My job is to cover you, not fawn over you or rip you. Just report on you – call balls and strikes on you.”
Cavuto was responding to a Wednesday tweet in which Trump suggested his supporters look for another channel.
The president tweeted: “Just watched Fox News heavily promoting the Democrats through their DNC Communications Director, spewing out whatever she wanted with zero pushback by anchor, Sandra Smith. The New Fox News is letting millions of GREAT people down! We have to start looking for a new News Outlet. Fox isn’t working for us any more!”
Last month Trump took aim at Fox News with a host of grievances, including a suggestion that their polling is treating him unfairly.
“Fox has not changed,” political anchor Bret Baier said on his program in response. “We have a news side and an opinion side. Opinion folks express their opinions. We do polls.”
In Thursday’s segment, Cavuto catalogued a series of Trump’s lies, dismissing the president’s “fake news” motif – something he has begun to wield against the traditionally uncritical network.
Cavuto said: “I’m not the one who said tariffs are a wonderful thing. You are. Just like I’m not the one who said Mexico would pay for the wall. You did. Just like I’m not the one who claimed that Russia didn’t meddle in the 2016 election. You did. I’m sorry if you don’t like these facts being brought up, but they are not fake because I did. What would be fake is if I never did.”
He went on: “Hard as it is to fathom, Mr President, just because you’re the leader of the free world doesn’t entitle you to a free pass. Unfortunately, just a free press.”
Earlier in the week, Fox News’ Brit Hume jabbed back at Trump, reminding him that although it may often seem the network is an extension of the administration, that is not actually the case.
Other Fox News personalities such as Sean Hannity, Jeanine Pirro and Laura Ingraham remain devoted to the president.
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