While some Fox News personalities have made a point of saying they don’t work for Donald Trump, at least 17 have given quite a different impression.
Beyond the puffery and propaganda that is Fox News’ staple programming, Media Matters has found 17 Fox figures doing even more for Trump by speaking and holding book parties at Trump property events, visiting on social occasions and even promoting the property on social media.
With a hat tip to Zach Everson and his 1100 Pennsylvania newsletter, Media Matters writes:
During his presidency, Trump has frequently merged his presidential and business interests, creating unprecedented conflicts of interest and constitutional issues. As The New York Times recently reported, “Since Mr. Trump became president, there have been thousands of visits to his properties, not only by Mr. Trump himself, but by foreign leaders, lobbyists, Republican candidates, members of Congress, cabinet members and others with ties to the president. At least 90 members of Congress, 250 Trump administration officials and more than 110 foreign officials have been spotted at Trump properties since 2017, according to social media posts and counts by various watchdog groups.”
Fox News figures have also helped enrich Trump by speaking at events at his properties since he announced his presidential run in 2015. Those personalities are: Fox News hosts Tucker Carlson, Greg Gutfeld, Sean Hannity, Laura Ingraham, Mark Levin, and Jeanine Pirro; Fox Nation hosts Diamond and Silk; Fox News digital politics editor Chris Stirewalt; Fox News legal analyst and commentator and Fox Nation host Gregg Jarrett; and Fox News contributors Deneen Borelli, David Bossie, Sara Carter, Nigel Farage, Newt Gingrich, Mike Huckabee, and Alveda King. Additionally, Fox News contributors Jason Chaffetz and Sarah Huckabee Sanders are scheduled to speak at events at a Trump property in October.
In addition, we noted that Geraldo Rivera reportedly attended a posh Trump fundraiser in the Hamptons last month.
Media Matters also found that there are some Fox personalities who just can’t resist sharing their love for Trump properties on social media:
Enjoying the day at @realDonaldTrump @EricTrump @DonaldJTrumpJr @trumpwinery 🍷 pic.twitter.com/0Haf6PRR0A
— Brooke Singman (@brookefoxnews) May 19, 2018
See where Fox's Todd Starnes enjoyed "a few extra days" below.
There are also the on-air infomercials, such as when Fox & Friends all but posted a phone number for heads of state to make reservations at Trump’s Doral property for next year’s G-7.
Last month, when Trump whined that “Fox isn’t working for us anymore,” some Fox personalities such as Neil Cavuto and Guy Benson publicly clapped back, saying that they don’t work for him. Fox’s Brit Hume said more cryptically, “Fox News isn’t supposed to work for you.”
Now it’s easier than ever to see why Trump thought otherwise – and why Hume couldn’t bring himself to completely deny it.
(Trump caricature by DonkeyHotey, via Creative Commons license)