Media Figures Rip Fox’s John Roberts For Not Defending CNN After Trump’s ‘Fake News’ Attacks

Media Figures Rip Fox’s John Roberts For Not Defending CNN After Trump’s ‘Fake News’ Attacks

Besides calling his on-the-record interview with The Sun “fake news,” President Donald Trump continued unleashing on his favorite punching bag during Friday’s joint press conference with UK Prime Minister Theresa May. When CNN’s Jim Acosta tried to ask the president a question, Trump brushed him off by saying he won’t take “questions from CNN” because “CNN is fake news.”

Trump then called on Fox News’ John Roberts, saying the Fox correspondent came from a “real network.” Roberts would go on to ask the president his questions, causing many in the media to express disappointment with Roberts for not ceding his time to Acosta or adding Acosta’s questions to his.

CNN’s Jake Tapper, who defended Fox News in the White House press room during the Obama administration, obviously was miffed that Roberts didn’t follow suit here.

NBC News’ Ken Dilanian stated that he really would have liked for Roberts to have stood up for his colleagues there.

Mic’s Emily Singer noted that the Fox News correspondent did the “wrong thing” at the presser.

NBC News’ Mike Memoli pointed out that it sure would be nice to see Fox News “return the professional courtesy” after the rest of the press corps came to their defense during the Obama years.

Columnist Will Bunch didn’t mince words.

The New York Times’ Alex Burns felt that those at Fox News have no problem being Trump’s chosen media outlet.

Meanwhile, BuzzFeed’s John Stanton felt Roberts wasn’t the only one who deserved criticism.

Watch the encounter above, via CNN.

UPDATE: Roberts released the following statement about his lack of defense at the time, saying he and other journalists proceeded with questions when it became apparent that Trump wasn’t going to entertain a question from Acosta.

“In today’s press conference, I paused while my colleague from CNN went back and forth with President Trump over a question. When it became clear that the president wasn’t going to entertain a question from him, I proceeded with my question, as did my fellow colleagues in the press corps. I know Kristen Welker of NBC. She is honest as the day is long. For the President to call her dishonest is unfair. I also used to work at CNN. There are some fine journalists who work there and risk their lives to report on stories around the world. To issue a blanket condemnation of the network as ‘fake news’ is also unfair.”

Justin Baragona

Justin Baragona is the founder/publisher of Contemptor and a contributor to The Daily Beast. He was previously the Cable News Correspondent for Mediaite and prior to starting Contemptor, he worked on the editorial staff of PoliticusUSA. During that time, he had his work quoted by USA Today and BBC News, among others. Justin began his published career as a political writer for 411Mania. He resides in St. Louis, MO with his wife and pets.

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