A Fox News host turned on Trump: “You’re the president. Why don’t you act like it?”
President Donald Trump is once again igniting controversy with his tweets. And this time, his usual ally — the conservative Fox News — is not having it. On November 20th, Fox News host Neil Cavuto blasted Trump for recent tweets attacking the father of a UCLA basketball player and a Republican senator from Arizona.
“Forget about either comment not being presidential,” Cavuto said about the tweets in an impassioned monologue to the camera. “At what point does the president see such remarks don’t even border on being human?”
On Sunday, November 19th, Trump attacked LaVar Ball, the father of one of the UCLA players, for failing to thank him personally for his son’s release.
“LaVar Ball, the father of LiAngelo, is unaccepting of what I did for his son and that shoplifting is no big deal,” Trump tweeted. “I should have left them in jail!”
Trump also attacked Senator Jeff Flake after he was caught criticizing Trump and Alabama senate nominee Roy Moore on a hot mic. Trump accused Flake of “saying bad things about your favorite president” and said that Flake’s career was “toast.”
Now that the three basketball players are out of China and saved from years in jail, LaVar Ball, the father of LiAngelo, is unaccepting of what I did for his son and that shoplifting is no big deal. I should have left them in jail!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 19, 2017
Sen. Jeff Flake(y), who is unelectable in the Great State of Arizona (quit race, anemic polls) was caught (purposely) on “mike” saying bad things about your favorite President. He’ll be a NO on tax cuts because his political career anyway is “toast.”
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 19, 2017
Cavuto said Trump’s reaction was like “using a bazooka to respond to a pea shooter.” He added that Trump appeared to want “gratitude bordering on groveling.” He noted that all three basketball players had thanked the president and that Flake saved most of his ire for Moore.
“You wanted a thank you, you got it. You wanted a reason to go after a senator you hate, you pounced on it,” Cavuto said. “But last time I checked you are the President of the United States. Why don’t you act like it?”
https://t.co/L8npNPcVhN
Amen! Good #CommonSense segment by #NeilCavuto of Fox! "You're the president, why don't you ACT like it"?! Along with #ShepardSmith he's one of the few on Fox to call out trump's atrocious behavior!— Elizabeth (@Elizabe21641277) November 21, 2017
Fox News has traditionally supported Trump, and it’s no secret that the president routinely watches shows like Fox & Friends. But this isn’t the first time Cavuto specifically has spoken out against Trump’s behavior.
In June, he accused the president of scapegoating the news media, and in October, he called on Trump to end his feud with Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee. Basically, Cavuto’s most recent criticism of Trump is not necessarily a sign that Fox News will turn on the president, but it’s still nice to see un-presidential behavior getting called out on a network that has typically looked the other way.
