Fox News anchor Bret Baier delivered an unusual live response to President Trump Thursday night after the president criticized the network’s coverage of the Iran war and labeled chief correspondent Jonathan Hunt a “flunky.”
The dispute unfolded during “Special Report,” where Hunt was covering the latest developments surrounding Iran and the administration’s efforts to bring the conflict to an end.
Hunt reported that there had been “no significant developments” toward ending the war and noted that President Trump himself had publicly said the United States was not currently seeking talks with Tehran.
“We’re not looking to meet or anything,” President Trump told reporters earlier Thursday in a clip that Fox News aired during the segment.
President Trump apparently watched the coverage and was not impressed.
Shortly afterward, he took to Truth Social to challenge Hunt’s characterization of the situation.
“Jonathan Hunt of FoxNews did a particularly inaccurate report on the Failing Islamic Republic of Iran. I don’t want to meet, they do. In fact, they are begging to make a deal.”
President Trump then turned his attention toward Baier.
“Bret Baier should straighten out his flunkies, for a change! President DJT.”
Baier did not wait until the following evening to answer. Before Thursday’s live broadcast concluded, the Fox News anchor defended his colleague and disputed President Trump’s characterization of what the network had reported.
“First of all, Jonathan Hunt’s not a flunky. He’s a great reporter,” Baier said. “Second of all, Mr. President, we didn’t say you wanted to meet. In fact, we played a soundbite that you didn’t want to meet and there are no negotiations.”
Baier then explained that Fox’s report had focused on other diplomatic and economic efforts aimed at increasing pressure on Tehran.
“We said that Treasury Secretary Bessent is hoping to meet with G-20 countries to increase the pressure on Iran, and Gulf State allies, including Qatar, are inside Tehran trying to get Iran to agree to concessions. That was what was said.”
The exchange illustrates President Trump’s occasionally complicated relationship with Fox News.
The network remains home to numerous hosts and commentators whose audiences overlap heavily with President Trump’s political base, but that has never stopped him from publicly unloading on Fox personalities when he believes the network has treated him or his administration unfairly.
Earlier this month, President Trump criticized Fox News host Shannon Bream following an interview in which she questioned Attorney General Todd Blanche about continued construction of the White House ballroom.
“Watching FoxNews with Shannon Bream is always like watching the Worst of Fake News CNN,” President Trump wrote.
He complained that Bream “always seems to pick guests, charts, and ‘polls’ that are negative,” while failing, in his view, to sufficiently highlight his administration’s accomplishments.
President Trump has also repeatedly attacked “The Five” co-host Jessica Tarlov, at one point calling for Fox executives to remove her from television.
Thursday’s disagreement with Baier, however, was somewhat different because the anchor responded while still broadcasting live.
Baier did not attack President Trump personally or turn the moment into a cable-news shouting match. He simply defended Hunt and explained exactly what Fox had reported.
President Trump has never been shy about challenging media coverage he considers inaccurate, including coverage coming from a network generally viewed as friendlier territory.
Apparently, being Fox News does not come with diplomatic immunity from Truth Social.
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