Fox News host Bret Baier said on Sunday that the January 6 hearings have made Donald Trump "look horrific."
Baier's remarks came shortly after the committee's latest hearing on Thursday, which centered on the former president's communications in the leadup to the insurrection and Trump's failure to condemn it.
"Laying out all these 187 minutes makes him look horrific, it really does," said Baier during the channel's "Media Buzz" segment. "To hear it and see it in that chronological order can be very powerful."
Baier went on to suggest that the testimony from former Trump admins – like Sarah Matthews, Trump's deputy White House press secretary, and former deputy White House press secretary Sarah Matthews – was particularly compelling.
"All of these people who have been testifying at one point or another wanted Trump to win," Baier said. "They served under his leadership. They wanted him to be a success."
BRET BAIER ON FOX (!): “Laying out this 187 minutes makes Trump look HORRIFIC… his inaction is very telling.” #TrumpCoupAttempt pic.twitter.com/acsy6IkAx4
— The Tennessee Holler (@TheTNHoller) July 25, 2022
Last week, during the panel's eighth hearing, Matthews and Pottinger testified that the former president repeatedly ignored pleas by his own officials to condemn the January 6 insurrection as it was taking place, as The Washington Post reported.
"The mob was accomplishing President Trump's purpose, so of course he didn't intervene," Rep. Adam Kinzinger,R-Ill.) said during the hearing. "President Trump did not fail to act … He chose not to act."
Want a daily wrap-up of all the news and commentary Salon has to offer? Subscribe to our morning newsletter, Crash Course.
Over the past few weeks, Fox News, which originally trumpeted the former president's baseless claims of election fraud, has grown increasingly critical of Trump as the January 6 hearings have played out.
Apart from Baier, hosts Martha MacCallum, Brian Kilmeade, guest host Sandra Smith, and analyst Andy McCarthy have either cast doubt on Trump's claims of fraud or questioned his fitness for a second term.
The network's sudden messaging pivot has not gone unnoticed by Trump, who on Monday blasted the network over its coverage of his polling.
"@foxandfriends just really botched my poll numbers, no doubt on purpose," Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social, his social network platform. "That show has been terrible – gone to the 'dark side.' They quickly quote the big Turning Point Poll victory of almost 60 points over the number two Republican, and then hammer me with outliers.
His followers have also targeted Baier.
Is Bret Baier a carbon copy of Chris Wallace?
— Nancy Daley (@NancyDa91542471) July 24, 2022
Bret Baier is now the Chris Wallace of Neil Cavuto's @FoxNews
— Vince Langman (@LangmanVince) July 25, 2022
https://twitter.com/GrammyC4Zone/status/1551523251028893696
Bret Baier & Neil Cavuto will be following Chris Wallace to CNN and MSNBC if their approval ratings are considered. All viewers know they bring on guests to dump on PDJT so the words don't come out of their mouths, but the audience knows their true colors. pic.twitter.com/YGwEnLNN6U
— SmartCookie - Deplorable Ultra MAGA Woman (@SmartCookieAZ) July 24, 2022
Just heard that the traitorous RINO Liz Cheney spewed her BS about Trump on Fox News Sunday with Bret Baier.. giving her a pass...and not calling her out.
— 🌺🦋Just me👀Cassie🌺🦋🌺 (@browneyegirl400) July 24, 2022
and I hear that that she could barely discredit Biden and Hunter dealings... and pivoted back to Trump.
