'My Job Is To Cover You, Not Fawn over You or Rip You': Fox News Host Cavuto Responds to Trump
Fox News host Neil Cavuto fired back Thursday at President Donald Trump, who earlier this week slammed the network and claimed Fox “isn’t working for us anymore.”
Cavuto said his job isn’t to work for Trump — it’s to cover him.
“I think the president watches Fox,” Cavuto said Thursday on “Your World with Neil Cavuto.”
“I also think he is getting sick of Fox, which is weird because I think he gets pretty fair coverage at Fox, but the president [is] making clear to fact-check him is to be all but dead to him and his legion of supporters, who let me know in no uncertain terms I am either with him totally or I am a never-Trumper fully.”
On Wednesday, Trump took aim at Fox in a series of tweets that targeted Fox host Sandra Smith, among others who work for the network.
“Just watched @FoxNews heavily promoting the Democrats through their DNC Communications Director, spewing out whatever she wanted with zero pushback by anchor, @SandraSmithFox,” the president tweeted.
Just watched @FoxNews heavily promoting the Democrats through their DNC Communications Director, spewing out whatever she wanted with zero pushback by anchor, @SandraSmithFox. Terrible considering that Fox couldn’t even land a debate, the Dems give them NOTHING! @CNN & @MSNBC….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 28, 2019
“Terrible considering that Fox couldn’t even land a debate, the Dems give them NOTHING!”
….are all in for the Open Border Socialists (or beyond). Fox hires “give Hillary the questions” @donnabrazile, Juan Williams and low ratings Shep Smith. HOPELESS & CLUELESS! They should go all the way LEFT and I will still find a way to Win – That’s what I do, Win. Too Bad!….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 28, 2019
“They should go all the way LEFT and I will still find a way to Win,” he said.
Trump went on to claim Fox “is letting millions of GREAT people down! We have to start looking for a new News Outlet. Fox isn’t working for us anymore!”
….I don’t want to Win for myself, I only want to Win for the people. The New @FoxNews is letting millions of GREAT people down! We have to start looking for a new News Outlet. Fox isn’t working for us anymore!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 28, 2019
But Fox doesn’t work for Trump, Cavuto said Thursday.
“Well, first of all, Mr. President, we don’t work for you. I don’t work for you,” he said. “My job is to cover you, not fawn over you or rip you, just report on you. To call balls and strikes on you. My job, Mr. President, our job here, is to keep the scores, not settle scores.”
“Now in my case, to report the economic numbers when they’re good and when they’re bad,” Cavuto, who also hosts a show on Fox Business, continued. “When the markets are soaring and when they’re tumbling. When trade talks look they’re coming together and when they look like they’re falling apart. It is called being fair and balanced, Mr. President.”
Cavuto said Trump doesn’t like to be criticized or corrected “when that balance includes stuff you don’t like to hear.”
The host said he understands this, but said that as president, Trump should be ready for fact-checks.
“You’re entitled to your point of view, Mr. President, but you’re not entitled to your own set of facts,” Cavuto said.
“You’re right to say the media isn’t fair to you,” he said, “that they’re more inclined to report the bad than anything good about you, so it is no surprise you’re frustrated that more aren’t in line with you.”
“Just because you’re the leader of the free world doesn’t entitle you to a free pass,” he concluded. “Unfortunately, just a free press.”
Cavuto was not the only Fox personality to push back on Trump’s remarks.
Fox contributor Guy Benson and senior political analyst Brit Hume also noted that the network does not work for Trump.
Fox News isn’t supposed to work for you. https://t.co/kQDY4UKv8z
— Brit Hume (@brithume) August 28, 2019
We don’t work for you. https://t.co/xqcmJJPOqc
— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) August 28, 2019
Trump, for his part, has doubled down on his criticism of the network, telling “Fox & Friends” host Brian Kilmeade on his morning radio show Thursday that “I’m not happy with Fox,” according to The Daily Beast.
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