Outgoing President Donald Trump’s week is going from bad to worse – even Fox News is turning its back on him.
The split became clear on Monday night, when Trump’s press secretary Kayleigh McEnany delivered a briefing in which she repeated the president’s claims about voter fraud, stating: “We want every legal vote to be counted and we want every illegal vote to be…”
But Fox News host Neil Cavuto immediately interrupted, informing viewers: “Whoa, whoa, whoa. I just think we have to be very clear: she’s charging the other side as welcoming fraud and illegal voting, unless she has more details to back that up, I can’t in good countenance continue to show you this.”
McEnany was just about heard insisting: “You take these positions because you are welcoming fraud and you are welcoming illegal voting,” before Fox News cut away completely.
Cavuto said they would return to the press conference if they presented evidence to substantiate the claims.
“But that’s an explosive charge to make, that the other side is effectively rigging and cheating, if she does bring proof of that of course we’ll take you back so far she has started saying, right at the outset, welcoming fraud, welcoming illegal voting,” he said.
Other broadcasters described it as an “extraordinary moment”.
Prior to the election, Trump appeared to enjoy a cosy relationship with the channel, with criticism of the president rarely aired. But Fox News appears to be pushing back against its former ally and fact checking the baseless claims coming from his camp.
Trump continues to refuse to concede the election, launching a series of legal battles in his effort to stay in the White House.
Victor Joe Biden will take office on January 20 2021 and is already assuming a public leadership role in the fight against the pandemic ahead of being sworn in.