Fox News’s Bret Baier hits back at Trump conspiracy theorist after ex-president appears to incriminate himself in interview
One of Fox News’s star journalists found himself battling his own viewers after an appearance by former President Donald Trump on his show that many independent observers said was damaging for the ex-president’s credibility. Bret Baier won compliments from his colleagues in the media this week for the no-ground-given interview with the ex-president, which aired in two parts over Tuesday and Wednesday. But the reaction from the twice-indicted ex-president’s fanbase was less enthusiastic. One commenter, a blue-check Trump supporter, wrote a tweet attacking both the interview and Baier’s upcoming gig moderating the first Republican primary debate, set to be held on 23 August. They attacked Baier as a “Murdoch mouthpiece” and suggested that Mr Trump should skip the Fox debate. A second commenter then seemingly admitted that Mr Trump had said something incriminating during their discussion, while questioning whether the journalist had coordinated with the Department of Justice. “Bret and Martha [MacCallum], two anti-Trumpers, will be moderating the first GOP debate. Why the hell would Trump show up to that? Especially after this interview that was actually a debate between Trump & Murdoch mouthpiece. Remember Murdoch’s are all in for DeSanctimonious!” wrote the first critic, Alex Bruesewitz. The second tweeter added: “The big question is did @BretBaier have any contact with the DOJ to try and entrap @realDonaldTrump into incriminating himself. Who wrote his questions. The DOJ will be using his interview against him.” Baier flatly rejected that conspiracy in a short statement: “I’ll answer that. No. I wrote my own questions. And frankly I didn’t know that I would get much on the indictment questions assuming he might say he couldn’t talk about it. Thanks for watching.” He would later go on to approvingly retweet another viewer who took a mocking shot at a third critic of the Trump interivew. The comments are a sign of the increasingly tight spot that Baier and others on Fox’s news side find themselves in. Their network faces a ratings slide following the ouster of star opinion host Tucker Carlson, and increasing disfavour from the channel’s largely pro-Trump audience over any journalism that conflicts with the former president’s conspiracy theories. Baier struck a nerve with the former president in the segment of the interview which aired on Tuesday, as he rejected Mr Trump’s claim that the 2020 election was stolen and pressed him to admit that all of his efforts to prove otherwise had failed. But that wasn’t the only moment when the two men clashed during the discussion. Baier would also question Mr Trump about his new push to expand use of the death penalty to those convicted of selling narcotics, a plan that would likely have little if any chance of success of being passed into law. The Fox journalist noted that a woman Mr Trump took public credit and admiration for having her sentence commuted would have instead been executed under his plan, forcing the ex-president to back off his hardline stance and qualify that degrees of severity would ideally be considered under this imaginary system. Read More Trump claimed the Durham report would uncover the ‘crime of the century.’ Here’s what it really found Capitol rioter filmed shocking police officer with stun gun shouts ‘Trump won!’ as he is sentenced Ousted incumbents, key matchups set: Takeaways from Virginia's primary election Trump drops below 50 per cent among GOP voters in new CNN poll following second indictment Television veteran Geraldo Rivera says he's quitting Fox News' political combat show 'The Five' John Eastman’s expert witness in disbarment hearing is barred for not being an expert
2023-06-22 08:27
Biden rolls out the red carpet for Modi for a visit fraught with trade-offs
Welcoming Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the White House this week for a state visit -- the most elevated form of American diplomacy -- will require President Joe Biden to make certain trade-offs.
2023-06-22 06:54
House votes to censure Democratic congressman who led Trump investigations
The US House of Representatives on Wednesday voted to censure Rep. Adam Schiff, a key lawmaker in Democrats' congressional investigations into former President Donald Trump during his presidency.
2023-06-22 06:53
Fact check: Biden makes 5 false claims about guns, plus some about other subjects
President Joe Biden made false claims about a variety of topics, notably including gun policy, during a series of official speeches and campaign remarks over the last two weeks.
2023-06-22 06:20
It's censure and impeachment season again
Americans' competing political realities are colliding fantastically on Capitol Hill this week in a public punishment, an ill-fated impeachment effort and the dissection of another special counsel's report.
2023-06-22 06:15
John Eastman agreed Clarence Thomas wouldn't back theory to block Biden win, Pence aide says
Eastman is facing disbarment in California for his role in Trump's bid to overturn the 2020 results.
2023-06-22 05:56
US hostage envoy quietly traveled to Venezuela this week
US Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens quietly traveled to Venezuela this week, a State Department spokesperson confirmed to CNN.
2023-06-22 05:18
Trump-appointed judge who had Democratic support will oversee Hunter Biden plea on July 26
Federal district Judge Maryellen Noreika, an appointee of former President Donald Trump, will preside over the case that Justice Department brought against President Joe Biden's son, Hunter Biden.
2023-06-22 05:18
Results from Virginia's primaries set up test of Youngkin's influence and abortion's salience with voters
The stage is now set in Virginia for the most important down-ballot election of 2023 -- a battle for control of the split legislature that will offer an important window into the mood of swing-state voters as next year's presidential race kicks off.
2023-06-22 04:19
Pentagon leaks suspect Jack Teixeira pleads not guilty to federal charges
Jack Teixeira, the Air National Guardsman accused of leaking highly classified military documents on social media, pleaded not guilty in a Massachusetts court Wednesday to six federal charges.
2023-06-22 03:49
DeSantis' office acknowledges golf simulator from wealthy donor, raising ethics concerns
The office of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis acknowledged on Wednesday the state has in its possession a golf simulator that reportedly was given to the governor's mansion by a wealthy political donor with close ties to the Republican governor.
2023-06-22 03:48
Man who used stun gun to attack Michael Fanone on January 6 sentenced to over 12 years in prison
Daniel Rodriguez, the man who attacked then-Washington, DC, police officer Michael Fanone with an electroshock weapon in the neck during the US Capitol riot on January 6, 2021, was sentenced Wednesday to 12 and a half years in prison.
2023-06-22 01:24