President Donald Trump tore into Fox News over its treatment of Michigan Democrat Abdul El-Sayed, accusing the network of helping his political opponents while giving Republicans less attention. Trump singled out anchor Martha MacCallum for what he called a “softball” interview. Republican complaints also extend to Jesse Watters’ praise of El-Sayed and the candidate’s advertising campaign on Fox.
The dispute followed El-Sayed’s Monday, October 5th, appearance on “The Story,” where MacCallum questioned the Democratic Senate nominee about foreign policy, healthcare and campaign fundraising. El-Sayed is running against former Republican Rep. Mike Rogers in Michigan. The interview came less than a month before Election Day, with control of the Senate among the stakes of the November 3rd midterms.
Trump responded Tuesday, October 6th, on Truth Social, complaining that Fox devoted more attention to Democratic candidates than to Republicans. He contrasted MacCallum’s treatment of El-Sayed with her interviews of him, writing, “She never interviews me like that.” He also criticized the network’s handling of his campaign rallies. “Fox is promoting the Dumocrats, not the Republicans and MAGA. They have totally lost their way!” Trump wrote.
As Trending Politics reported, White House officials contacted Fox on Tuesday to complain about MacCallum’s interview. Republican operatives had already raised concerns with producers and executives in early August over Watters’ favorable comments about El-Sayed. The campaign’s ads aired 129 times on Fox between October 1st and October 6th, roughly twice their frequency on ESPN, according to ad-tracking data cited in the report.
El-Sayed’s campaign had turned Watters’ comments into an advertisement weeks earlier. An August 18th campaign announcement described a 60-second spot titled “Ensemble,” scheduled for broadcast and cable television across Michigan, including Fox News. The campaign called Watters an “unlikely validator” and placed his praise at the end of the ad. “You gotta respect Abdul because he beat the machine,” Watters said in the clip.
Watters later interviewed El-Sayed on August 24th, pressing him about his criticism of ICE, support for Medicare for All and views on Sharia law. Republican concerns briefly eased after that appearance, according to Trending Politics. The following day, Watters offered another favorable personal assessment of the Democrat. “I actually like Abdul. I probably shouldn’t like him, but I do,” he said.
During the October 5th interview, El-Sayed criticized Trump’s war with Iran and argued that the conflict was driving up costs for Michigan residents. MacCallum questioned him about American national security and asked whether he supported terrorist designations for Muslim Brotherhood organizations in Egypt, Lebanon and Jordan. Their exchange also included a dispute over whether military action was making Americans safer. “I’m arguing that you have to defend American national security,” MacCallum said.
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MacCallum asked about streamer Hasan Piker and his comments concerning El-Sayed’s position on Israel. El-Sayed redirected the discussion toward gas prices, groceries and healthcare before explaining his decision to appear before different audiences. He pointed to his interviews with Watters and MacCallum as well as his conversation with Piker. “But it’s about the audience that you’re speaking to,” El-Sayed said.
Watch MacCallum’s interview with El-Sayed here:
Fox News said Watters’ August interview with El-Sayed drew nearly 3.4 million viewers, the highest-rated prime-time cable news telecast of that month. Fox News Media President and Executive Editor Jay Wallace defended MacCallum’s interview Tuesday. He told Axios that the network was willing to broadcast material its core audience might not welcome. “But that’s what we do,” Wallace said.
Featured image credit: screengrab from the embedded video.