President Trump singled out three journalists for criticism Sunday afternoon.
While not a new tactic for the president, as he regularly berates “fake news” on Twitter, the president’s tweets targeted members of his preferred cable news network, Fox News.
“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 wrote.
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
The two Fox News weekend anchors he tagged were Arthel Neville and Leland Vittert.
The tweet came after Fox News’ “America’s News HQ” brought on David Green, president of the United Autoworkers Local 1112, to discuss the closing of a General Motors factory in Lordstown, Ohio. After the interview, the president took aim at Green.
“Democrat UAW Local 1112 President David Green ought to get his act together and produce. G.M. let our Country down, but other much better car companies are coming into the U.S. in droves. I want action on Lordstown fast. Stop complaining and get the job done! 3.8% Unemployment!” Trump wrote.
Democrat UAW Local 1112 President David Green ought to get his act together and produce. G.M. let our Country down, but other much better car companies are coming into the U.S. in droves. I want action on Lordstown fast. Stop complaining and get the job done! 3.8% Unemployment!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 17, 2019
Earlier Sunday, Trump urged Fox News to bring back host Jeanine Pirro after her Saturday evening show didn’t air this weekend after she made controversial comments about Rep. Ilhan Omar’s, D-Minn., loyalty to the U.S. CNN reported Pirro has been suspended for one to two weeks.
While Fox News’ opinion and commentary side has been generally supportive of Trump in comparison to cable news rivals MSNBC and CNN, not everyone at the network has been so welcoming.
Smith, who is Fox News’ chief news anchor, has a show every weekday afternoon on which he often vocalizes criticism of Trump and his policies. Last year he signed a multi-year contract to stay on with Fox News, despite dubbing it “the craziest conservative network on Earth” and “the freaky place where I’m working right now” in a speech in 2017.
During an interview with Time last year, he said, “I wonder, if I stopped delivering the facts, what would go in its place in this place that is most watched, most listened, most viewed, most trusted?”
