Trump Caused Backlash by Blaming Obama, Fox News Says
Fox News says the "fake news" mainstream media isn't to blame for once, and it is instead pointing to the president.
No, you aren't reading that wrong.
Anchor Bret Baier said no one other than President Donald Trump is the cause of the latest controversy involving the White House—over calling families of fallen soldiers, including the four recently killed in Niger.
Trump said earlier this week that he called the families of the fallen Niger soldiers and "virtually everybody" related to those who have died in the military under his watch, and he then suggested other presidents, including Barack Obama, did not.
Reporters being reporters, some looked into the president's claim and found he in fact hadn't yet called the families of at least nine soldiers.
The Washington Post also found Trump promised $25,000 to the father of one solider this summer, but never sent the money until the newspaper reported the incident.
Baier told host Sandra Smith that while "some people in town" will "blame the media for jumping and focusing on" this issue, Trump "turned it to previous presidents and whether they called or didn't call," and that was "what started this whole cascade."
Baier continued: "The president opened this door."
(The conversation about Niger and calling fallen soldiers starts at 2:40 in the segment below.)
Baier said Trump and Representative Frederica Wilson have had a "painful" back and forth after the Florida Democrat told the media she was there when the president called the widow of Sergeant La David Johnson, who died in Niger.
Wilson said she overheard Trump tell her that Johnson "knew what he signed up for."
Trump has denied the allegation both in person and on Twitter, posting: "Democrat Congresswoman totally fabricated what I said to the wife of a soldier who died in action (and I have proof). Sad!"
The president has not elaborated on what proof he has of the call.
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