Former President Donald Trump is not holding back his criticism of Fox News, calling out the network and one of its top hosts, Bret Baier, for lenient treatment of Democrats. In a thread of posts on Truth Social, Trump labeled Baier as “very soft,” particularly regarding his upcoming interview with Vice President Kamala Harris.
Harris is set to appear on Baier’s show, Special Report, for her first formal interview on Fox News. The interview, scheduled for October 16, comes at a crucial time in the 2024 presidential race. With just weeks left until the election, both the Harris campaign and Trump are ramping up efforts to reach voters in key battleground states.
Wednesday— I’ll have an exclusive interview with Vice President Harris on #SpecialReport. pic.twitter.com/Ry63iNH4fW
— Bret Baier (@BretBaier) October 14, 2024
Trump vented his frustrations over the network’s coverage, criticizing Baier and other Fox News personalities for an unchallenging approach to interviewing Democratic figures. Trump wrote, “Lyin’ Kamala Harris has wisely chosen Bret Baier, of FoxNews, to do a much-needed interview, because he is considered to be ‘Fair & Balanced,’ though often very soft to those on the ‘cocktail circuit’ Left.”
This isn’t the first time Trump has aired grievances with Fox News, a network that has historically been one of his biggest media supporters. Recently, the former president has become more vocal about what he views as a shift in Fox’s programming, accusing the network of giving too much airtime to Democrats without adequate pushback.
Trump continued in his posts, saying that Fox has “totally lost its way” and accusing the network of “polluting the airwaves” with unopposed Democratic voices. He took particular aim at Harris’s senior advisor, Ian Sams, who appeared on Cavuto Live, claiming Sams dominated the network’s programming with pro-Harris commentary.
“I would have preferred seeing a more hard hitting journalist, but Fox has grown so weak and soft on the Democrats, constantly polluting the airwaves with unopposed Kamala Representatives, that it all doesn’t matter anymore,” Trump wrote. “Hopefully, the people will understand on November 5th, and Early Voting.” Trump’s criticism comes as both he and Harris are set to make appearances in Pennsylvania, a state that could prove pivotal in the 2024 election.
For months, Harris has avoided tough questions and interviews from outlets perceived as critical of her administration. Instead, she has gravitated toward more friendly platforms, including recent appearances on “The View,” Stephen Colbert, and Howard Stern. Harris’s decision to engage with Fox News, a network that generally leans conservative, suggests her campaign might be trying to reach voters who may not have been receptive to her message thus far. Political analysts have speculated that the move reflects the growing concern within the Harris camp about Trump’s momentum in key swing states.
Trump continued, “Lyin’ Kamala, after having turned down the FoxNews Debate on September 4th, which I accepted, is now saying she wants to Debate, despite the fact that the Votes are already being cast,” Trump wrote. “The reason she wants it now is simple, she is losing in the Polls, and is desperate – Will do anything!”
Trump’s criticism focuses on Harris’s performance in recent media appearances, including her controversial interview on 60 Minutes. In his post, Trump claimed that Harris required network assistance to revise her answers during the interview, an allegation that he has repeated multiple times. “The problem is that Kamala can’t even do a simple Interview, and needs the Fake News Broadcasters, like CBS, to completely withdraw her answer on 60 Minutes,” he added. Trump went on to accuse 60 Minutes of manipulating the interview to present Harris in a more favorable light, writing, “60 MINUTES WILL BE PAYING A HEAVY PRICE FOR A LONG TIME TO COME,” Trump wrote.
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