In back-to-back segments, Fox News hosts showed a surprising and uncharacteristic interest in accountability from the Donald J. Trump Foundation.

On Fox’s America’s News HQ show, Washington Post reporter David Farenthold received a reasonably friendly interview in which he talked about, among other things, how Trump has not put any of his own money into his foundation since 2008. “He gives money away from the Donald J. Trump Foundation but it’s other people’s money,” Farenthold said. Farenthold added that Trump’s “people” say that Trump has “personally” given “tens of millions” out of his own pocket. “I haven’t found that so far,” Farenthold said. Between 2008 and this May, I found one gift out of Trump’s own pocket.”

Just as Farenthold said that, Fox co-host Elizabeth Prann interrupted to end the segment. But she listened without challenge to Farenthold's findings, as well as his thoughts on why Trump has probably not put the matter of his birtherism to rest with his declaration the day before, "President Barack Obama was born in the United States, period."

For the other side, co-host Leland Vittert spoke to Trump surrogate Boris Epshteyn. Actually it's more accurate to say that Vittert hammered Epshteyn.

For example, there was this:

VITTERT: Why not share with the public the charities that he’s given money to? Certainly, if he’s that philanthropic, wouldn’t he want everyone to know the charities and the good works that he supports?

EPSTHEYN: Well, because he’s a private individual.

VITTERT (interrupting): He’s a private individual - Boris, Boris, he’s a private individual who’s running for president! He’s running for president!

Also this:

VITTERT: We don’t know anything about the Trump Foundation because you guys won’t tell us about it. […] We don’t know what it does. You won’t release donors. You won’t release what you give. […] Where does it get its money, Boris? How much has Trump given to his own foundation in the past, say, five years?

EPSHTEYN: Listen, that’s out there and if he chooses to share it, he will.

VITTERT (interrupting): It’s not out there.

EPSHTEYN: The key line is that this is a private foundation, he’s a private individual, he’s given hundreds of millions of dollars to charity through the foundation and otherwise.

VITTERT: He’s given hundreds of millions of dollars. Is that documented anywhere?

And this:

EPSHTEYN: Mr. Trump has given over a hundred million dollars to charity throughout his career.

VITTERT: Come back with some documents on that, we’d love to see ‘em.

EPSHTEYN: Well, actually, Leland, he was a private individual, he doesn’t owe you any documents.

VITTERT: But if you say it, we’d just like a little proof. Any documents would be great. We’d love to see ‘em.

EPSHTEYN: He doesn’t owe you any documents. He’s a private individual running for president. He’d be the best president yet.

I was gobsmacked by this very unusual and atypical Fox discussion. Try as I might, I can’t come up with any explanation for it. Check out the two segments below, from the September 17, 2016 America’s News HQ. Share your thoughts in our comments section.