In a recent interview with Fox News, former President Donald Trump faced pointed questions from host Bret Baier about a 37-count indictment brought against him by a grand jury.
The indictment concerns Trump’s handling of sensitive documents after he left the White House. This event was Trump’s first interview since the charges were filed.
During the interview, Trump provided long-winded answers to questions about specific claims in the indictment, which Fox News analyst Brit Hume later described as nearly “incoherent.”
The interview, which had started on a routine note, took a dramatic turn when Baier questioned the former President about a July 2021 recording from a meeting where Trump admitted retaining a classified document about a potential attack on Iran. This response seemed to contradict Trump’s defense that he had declassified all documents in his possession.
In response, Trump initially said that he couldn’t have declassified the document because he was no longer president at the time, a statement he had made in the recording. However, he then changed tack, claiming that no such document existed.
Trump appeared displeased with the line of questioning and opted to end the interview prematurely.
Social media erupted with reactions, with many expressing astonishment that the clash happened on Fox News, a network often criticized for its perceived favorability towards Trump during his presidency. Political commentators from across the spectrum weighed in on the incident, with some praising Baier for his journalistic rigor and others criticizing him for being confrontational.
The abrupt ending of the interview adds to the ongoing conversation about Trump’s relationship with the media.
The former president has repeatedly made unsubstantiated claims about the election being stolen, and this incident suggests that he is not open to being challenged on the subject of the indictment.
Trump’s interaction with Baier could potentially signal a change in how media outlets approach interviews.