President Trump unleashed a loaded rebuke of two Fox News hosts as well as the network’s “lowest-rated anchor, Shepard Smith.”
Though it was not clear what prompted the president to lash out, he wondered in a tweet on Sunday if Smith, along with Fox News weekend anchors, Arthel Neville and Leland Vittert, were “trained by CNN.”
“Were @FoxNews weekend anchors, @ArthelNeville and @LelandVittert, trained by CNN prior to their ratings collapse?” Trump tweeted referring to the network he has blasted as “fake news.”
“In any event, that’s where they should be working, along with their lowest rated anchor, Shepard Smith!” he added, taking a jab at the host of Fox News Channel’s daily show, “Shepard Smith Reporting,” who is frequently critical of the president.
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!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 17, 2019
Smith has blasted Trump on policy issues, his tweets and has even fact-checked the president, claiming he was fear-mongering when he announced “the president has offered no evidence to support what he has said” when he accused Trump of fear-mongering with his warning that there were MS 13 gang members and criminals traveling in the migrant caravan that was headed to the U.S. southern border last fall.
The anchor often sounds off like a left-wing commentator on his daily show, earning the rage of Fox viewers who have repeatedly called for the network to fire him. He has regularly let his animosity and personal feelings about Trump clearly come across in his so-called journalistic performance on Fox News.
Shep Smith’s incurable TDS overcomes him on air:
‘For fact’s sake, the president shut down the govmnt’ https://t.co/cWLN8hBQx5
— ?? Jack Ralph ?? (@NevadaJack2) January 23, 2019
Trump’s calling out of Smith along with Neville and Vittert followed multiple tweets by the president urging Fox News to “stop working soooo hard on being politically correct” and to “Bring back @JudgeJeanine Pirro,” after her weekly news program, “Justice with Judge Jeanine,” was preempted.
‘Bring back Judge Jeanine,’ Trump implores in multi-tweet rant to network: ‘Don’t give in…be weak & die’ https://t.co/ptqtXfdnuW
— Conservative News (@BIZPACReview) March 17, 2019
Fox News condemned Pirro and apparently pulled her show from the weekend lineup after her remarks last week about anti-Semitic Muslim congresswoman Ilhan Omar.
Trump’s comments about Smith, Neville and Vittert prompted many reactions on Twitter Sunday, including from Trump critics who naturally came to Smith’s defense.
Shep Smith is one of the few good reporters on Fox News.
— Ed Krassenstein (@EdKrassen) March 17, 2019
Once in a while, @FoxNews takes a break from running state-run #propaganda and actually reports some truth, so naturally, @realDonaldTrump slams them.?https://t.co/Bwd0G9GLQ6
— Dr. Dena Grayson (@DrDenaGrayson) March 17, 2019
Others were solidly behind the president’s criticism and called out Fox News for being politically correct.
Absolutely true, President Trump. When those three show up, I turn @FoxNews OFF!
— Linda Suhler, PhD (@LindaSuhler) March 17, 2019
We watch Fox News because of Tucker…Sean…Judge Pirro…Laura…if Fox becomes anymore politically correct, I’ll be watching reruns of Diagnosis Murder!
— barbara cusano (@bacusano5) March 17, 2019
Shepard Smith is only on fox due to “politically correctness”. For his show really sucks; that’s for sure
— Rusty Todd (@TRussellTodd) March 18, 2019
I wish Shep would go to CNN where he belongs.
— LouisianaPrepper13 (@LAPrepper13) March 18, 2019
I agree with POTUS
— Lisa L K (@LLKmakenup) March 18, 2019
Absolutely agree about liberal anti Trump Shep & Juan. You can throw Wallace in there too. Fox is wrong tribe for these 3.
— Karyn Jo (@KarynJo316) March 18, 2019
Shep is awful Not one to be on a supposedly fair and balanced network He belongs with CNN
— Candy Baron (@cbprincess5) March 18, 2019
The President is 1000% correct !!
— Village Girl (@Villagegirl25) March 18, 2019
Agreed! NEVER watch FoxNews on the weekend, and turn the channel every day at 3pm (when Shepard Smith comes on!)
— Kat (@Kat92550604) March 17, 2019
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida where she has been writing for the BizPacReview team since 2015.
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