Trump whines Fox News showing ‘the absolutely worst pictures of me’
Former President Donald Trump complained Thursday that Fox News is “getting away with” broadcasting “the absolutely worst pictures” of him as reports indicate he is prepared to skip the network-hosted first Republican primary debate next week.
The 77-year-old took a swipe at the cable giant’s tentpole “Fox & Friends” morning program, accusing it of hiding national polls that show him defeating President Biden in the 2024 election.
“Why doesn’t Fox and Friends show all of the Polls where I am beating Biden, by a lot. They just won’t do it!” the former president posted on Truth Social. “Also, they purposely show the absolutely worst pictures of me, especially the big ‘orange’ one with my chin pulled way back.
“They think they are getting away with something, they’re not,” he added. “Just like 2016 all over again … And then they want me to debate!”
Fox News chief political anchor Bret Baier will moderate the Aug. 23 debate in Milwaukee alongside “The Story” host Martha MacCallum.
“Why would I let these people take shots at me?” Trump told Baier in June when asked whether he would attend the debate.
The former president came back for more Thursday afternoon ahead of a planned appearance on the afternoon business-focused program “Your World” by former Attorney General Bill Barr.
“Why does FoxNews constantly put on slow thinking and lethargic Bill Barr, who didn’t have the courage or stamina to fight the Radical Left lunatics while he was A.G., and who, even more importantly, refused to fight Election Fraud,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “He knew what was going on, just look at his past remarks! Unless FoxNews starts putting the RIGHT people on, their Ratings will never recover.”
Ironically, Trump followed up that post by emailing a statement promoting an appearance on Fox Business Network’s “Kudlow,” which airs opposite “Your World” in the 4 p.m. time slot.
“Will be interviewed today by the Great Larry Kudlow on Fox Business, at 4 PM Eastern. I think everybody will find it fascinating—Great Chemistry!” Trump said alongside a picture of him and host Larry Kudlow, who served as the director of Trump’s National Economic Council for most of his term in office.
Trump has not been shy about drawing attention to unflattering pictures of himself in the past.
In 2020, he boosted engagement online of a photo showing his facial tan line while criticizing Democrats for voting to impeach him the year before.
“More Fake News. This was photoshopped, obviously, but the wind was strong and the hair looks good? Anything to demean!” he said on Twitter, now known as X.
Trump is one of a handful of Republican presidential candidates who have not committed to facing their primary challengers on the debate stage.
The Republican National Committee requires all candidates to have at least 40,000 individual donors to their campaign and pull at least 1% in three national polls or 1% in two national polls and 1% in two of the four early voting states — Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada.
GOP presidential hopefuls must also sign a pledge to support their party’s eventual nominee.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum are believed to have met all the criteria.
Trump, former Vice President Mike Pence, Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie have yet to sign the pledge but have reached donor thresholds and polling requirements.
An adviser to the former president told CNN on Thursday that Trump may show up at the Republican primary debate, while other sources who spoke with the outlet said he had no plans to.
Instead, he may be interviewed by former Fox host Tucker Carlson or call in to other cable shows to comment on his opponents’ performance, the sources said.
