Thursday on his radio show, “Fox & Friends” host Brian Kilmeade confronted President Donald Trump on his tweets criticizing Fox News.
During their discussion, Trump reiterated his displeasure with Fox News but also criticized CNN.
Partial transcript as follows:
TRUMP: But you know — no, Lawrence O’Donnell has been saying stuff for four years. It’s just as wrong. But this was one that he was forced by NBC to apologize for and what they say is just MSNBC and CNN and all of them for the most part.
KILMEADE: Right.
TRUMP: But they’re just really despicable people.
KILMEADE: Right.
TRUMP: It’s horrible. It’s fake news and it’s a shame. And it’s so — Brian, it’s so bad for our country. And despite that, I win, because I have incredible people that are really smart, millions and millions and tens of millions that follow me. And the polls are phony, too.
KILMEADE: Now —
TRUMP: The polls are phony, too. I mean — and in all fairness, among my worst polls always is Fox. I have to say that. But I have the worst —
KILMEADE: Well, I know you were critical of Fox yesterday. You came out and you tweeted —
TRUMP: Yes.
KILMEADE: — Fox News sadly promoting the Democrats through the DNC Communications Director spewing out whatever she wanted.
TRUMP: Absolutely.
KILMEADE: So you were very upset —
TRUMP: No, I’m not happy with — I’m not happy with Fox. I think — people think Fox is for me. Fox is good. Look, Sean and Laura and Tucker has really been very good for, well, Tucker’s a little tricky, but that’s OK. But he’s been very good.
And many of them, you guys in the morning, Ainsley and Steve and you, you become — you were a solid — you know, I used to say you were a solid six, maybe a seven but —
KILMEADE: Right.
TRUMP: — you’re getting much better. You’re getting great.
KILMEADE: But the thing that people should know about us is that — from the time you were hosting “The Apprentice,” if you and I disagreed, you didn’t mind. You know we disagreed. We talked about —
TRUMP: True.
KILMEADE: — President Bush.
TRUMP: True.
KILMEADE: We talked about different things. And it was still OK.
TRUMP: Right.
KILMEADE: So you don’t mind —
TRUMP: That’s true.
KILMEADE: So I don’t understand, so if Fox comes on and they’re critical of one — if somebody comes on and they’re critical of one thing about you, it never used to bother you like this.
Now yesterday I read those tweets hoping to get you on today and you’re so kind to come on, I appreciate it. And I thought to myself, what’s bothering you about it? Because our channel prides itself on diversity and getting everybody in so you don’t have to flip around.
TRUMP: Yes. So let me just —
KILMEADE: What’s changed in your mind?
TRUMP: Let me just tell you (INAUDIBLE). CNN is 100 percent, they would never — in fact they just fired Steve Cortez, a phenomenal guy. They fired Jeff, they fired — they have virtually nobody.
KILMEADE: Jeffrey Lord.
TRUMP: They have panels where they have panels that all Trump haters on. You know Jeff Zucker is just — I mean, give me a break. I could tell you stories about him, Jeff Zucker. And MSNBC, I think, is worse, OK, if you want to know the truth. I actually think they’re worse. They fight to see who’s worse.
KILMEADE: Right.
TRUMP: But they don’t have diversity, meaning my view.
KILMEADE: Yes.
TRUMP: They never put my view on. Although, I guarantee you this, they have both, but CNN, in particular, is begging me to do an interview, and I just think it would be disloyal to my followers to — what are they going to ask me? Let them ask me (ph) —
KILMEADE: No, I don’t think you should do an interview over there either.
TRUMP: No, I think it would be very disloyal to people that are Trump fans and people that voted for me and people that are going to vote again. And by the way, I see these phony polls. We have very strong polls in house, but I see these phony polls, that’s another form of fake news. You know, it’s called suppression. They suppress their feelings, and —
KILMEADE: So, are you —
TRUMP: — and you know, it’s — it’s really (INAUDIBLE).
KILMEADE: Well yes, are you getting worried about Elizabeth Warren’s crowds?
TRUMP: So, that’s another thing. I have crowds that are many times what her crowds are. Nobody ever talks about them. Nobody wants to talk about them. With her the other day they say she had 15, if you really count them up it looked like about eight or nine, and the biggest story was her crowds.
That’s like a small crowd for me and nobody even talks about my crowds. Nobody even likes to show. Do you ever hear me when I’m at the speech, I say, show this crowd, and the cameras won’t turn around.
KILMEADE: Yes, well they do now.
TRUMP: I said, no, I want to you — you know, I’m like in a Madison Square Garden type arena —
KILMEADE: Right.
TRUMP: — it’s packed.
KILMEADE: Mr. President —
TRUMP: I’ll go a step further. Two weeks ago in New Hampshire I was packed.
KILMEADE: And you’ve got a big one coming up in North Carolina. And Mr. President —
TRUMP: No, I’m always — I’m always full, I haven’t had an empty seat.
KILMEADE: Well, let’s —
TRUMP: But they never talk about that. But Elizabeth Warren has a crowd this big, and it’s like a big story. No, there’s a total double standard. They treat our people — now I’m president of all people, that’s number one, I want you to know that. And I love them all, but they treat certain people very, very unfairly, I have to say that.
KILMEADE: Got you. Mr. President, can’t thank you enough for the time you just gave us. I appreciate it. And I lastly, congratulations on your 10th grandchild.
Follow Pam Key on Twitter @pamkeyNEN
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