After twice tweeting his complaints following a highly-anticipated Bernie Sanders Town Hall program on Fox, the president accused the network of stocking a pro-Sanders audience managed by news anchors that were too polite to the Democratic firebrand, currently a front-runner in the upcoming US 2020 presidential elections.
The president's recent tirade against the network indicates that the cosy relationship with the network may be more than just on the rocks, according to Politico.com.
On Tuesday morning Trump tweeted — one day after Fox News anchors Martha MacCallum and Bret Baier spent a heavily-watched hour with Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders: "So weird to watch Crazy Bernie on @Fox News."
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 16, 2019
"Not surprisingly, @BretBaier and the ‘audience' was so smiley and nice. Very strange," Trump mused.
The US president also questioned the hiring of former Democratic National Committee interim chairwoman Donna Brazile as a Fox News political analyst, while accusing the network of packing the Sanders Town Hall with enthusiastic supporters of the Vermont Senator.
A spokesperson for Fox News denied that attendees to the high-ratings Bernie Sanders event were skewed toward the independent candidate's supporters, even as Trump fans were allegedly forced to stand outside, according to Politico.
White House press secretary Sarah Sanders stated, "We expect all of the news to be fair and accurate and not trying to drive the liberal agenda," according to an interview with Politico.
While Trump has been known to favour only supportive news anchors with interviews — talking one-on-one with Hannity eight times, more than every other network combined — other anchors have shown their willingness to let the president speak his mind.
"We'd love to have you on a town hall soon — or even an interview on @SpecialReport — it's been awhile," Baier tweeted after Trump complained on Tuesday about Fox.
— Bret Baier (@BretBaier) April 16, 2019
