The battle between Fox News and GOP presidential front-runner Donald Trump continued even after the start of tonight’s debate, with Fox News disclosing that Trump offered to take part in the broadcast in exchange for a $5 million donation to his charities.
Fox News and Trump have engaged in a war of words during the past few days over Trump’s demand that Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly be removed as a debate moderator. With the Iowa Caucus approaching on Monday, Trump earlier in this week declared that he would not appear in the debate if Kelly was one of the moderators. Trump instead organized a competing rally tonight that was billed as a fundraiser for veterans issues.
“(Fox News chairman) Roger Ailes had three brief conversations with Donald Trump today about possibly appearing at the debate – there were not multiple calls placed by Ailes to Trump,” Fox News said in a statement.
“In the course of those conversations, we acknowledged his concerns about a satirical observation we made in order to quell the attacks on Megyn Kelly, and prevent her from being smeared any further. Furthermore, Trump offered to appear at the debate upon the condition that Fox News contribute $5 million to his charities. We explained that was not possible and we could not engage in a quid pro quo, nor could any money change hands for any reason,” Fox News said. “In the last 48 hours, we’ve kept two issues at the forefront — we would never compromise our journalistic standards and we would always stand by our journalist, Megyn Kelly. We have accomplished those two goals and we are pleased with the outcome. We’re very proud to have her on stage as a debate moderator alongside Bret Baier and Chris Wallace.”
Trump clashed with Kelly last summer in one of the first GOP presidential debates when Trump deemed her questioning of his record on women’s issues to be unfair questioning. He has slammed the anchor repeatedly ever since, even during his appearance Wednesday on Fox News’ “The O’Reilly Factor.” Trump said on Wednesday that it was Fox News’ sarcastic comment about his withdrawal from the debate that sealed his decision to stay away.
“We learned from a secret back channel that the Ayatollah and Putin both intend to treat Donald Trump unfairly when they meet with him if he becomes president — a nefarious source tells us that Trump has his own secret plan to replace the Cabinet with his Twitter followers to see if he should even go to those meetings,” Fox News said in a statement Tuesday that is believed to have been penned by Ailes. Ailes is no stranger to bare-knuckle political brawling, having served as a media advisor to President Ronald Reagan and President George H.W. Bush.
After pulling out of the debate, Trump has asserted that Fox News’ advertising rates would plummet without him on stage in Iowa. Behind the scenes, there was clearly outreach between the Fox News and Trump about his participation in tonight’s broadcast, hence the lengthy Fox News statement.
Trump had already raised over 5 million dollars for the Veterans and would have lost those Donations if he had canceled the Fund Raiser. he did NOT demand 5 million dollars to attend the Debate, he merely asked Fox if they were gonna mek up the Loss to the Veterans if he canceled the Fund Raiser. of Course the Media twisted his worls all to heck….
FOX News,decided to create the three ring circus the GOP Debates have become. They elected to change the format into a sorta talk show format and entertainment special featuring their stars of FOX News. They exploited the fact Trump was reaching ratings never seen before. They tried to use him and at the same time insult his run for the presidency. If Trump does win the nomination, FOX News will need Trump, his support and his presence. I’m surprised their top brass has not had a major fallout over the mess they caused.
If Trump is elected, we needn’t bother with media anymore anyway. We will become North Korea.
Fox News has a moral center??
The lying, deceitful bums won’t pay a bribe?…shocking.
Who’s the loser, Trump or Fox?
Don’t know, who’s the bigger loser — The slug? Or the pimple on the slug?
It’s a reality show happening. I can not believe he seriously wants to be president.
He stood up for what he believed in. We need a POTUS like that. Trump for POTUS.
Technically, you could state that about any terrible leader that ever existed. Hitler believed that the Jews had to go. Mao believed backyard furnaces to produce steel would modernize his country. Duvalier believed in Voodoo, and that his political opponent had turned into a dog. Hoover honestly believed that Martin Luther King was one of the worst people of all time. Should we reward all of that blatant honesty? All of this personal conviction? Does the fact that it’s terrible make it okay as long as they really believe it?
Personally, I think a president that doesn’t hold his people hostage with his so called convictions is what America needs. He has manipulated the situation so that Fox looks like the bad guys because they won’t be extorted. But he brought a charity into it, so some people will always say that Fox is in the wrong. What a shady move, and he isn’t even in office yet! What would he do then? I shudder to think about it.
I also begrudge him for making me defend Fox News. He is such a snake he makes FOX NEWS look objective.
Trump has it in the bag. He won the debate by becoming the center of people’s mind, and doing it for a good cause. Fox is sure looking like fools for releasing this, especially since they did not want to donate 5 million and so Trump went and got 6 million to be donated.
Trump has 5 million, he himself could have given the money to Trump-less charities
Watched Trump and the Vets instead, didn’t give a crap about trashy Megyn and that debate. TRUMP 2016
why is she “trashy”?
That is the kind of leader we need!!!!
Fox has lost all credibility.
Impossible. They never had any to begin with.
Definitely!!
Foxes got owned by Trump…Even liberals enjoyed it…oh and fox having Journalist Values…Since well….
Watching the debate I wonder why when anything comes up they blame Obama. Everything is better now than when GW left office. All of them say they will make things better but if you look every one of them want to go back to the things that almost destroyed us. People don’t learn and cheer them on. When you vote you really need to think .
$5 million for charity – that is just fantastic!!! Why should FOX pocket all the profits? Dirty Hillary charges $250,000 for a one hour speech and keeps all the money for herself. Give me Trump any day!
Me to!!!!!!!
The Bohemian Corporal deserting from battle was fantastic. I heard intelligent exchanges from fine candidates. Without dirty bird Trump crapping on the stage I learned a lot.
He won’t do the right thing and speak on his positions unless he gets paid off as a bragging point.
TRUMP’S AFRAID OF MEGAN!!! Na, na, na, na, na, na. LOL
Intelligent replies? You watching the same comedy show as the rest of us?
So he’d tolerate Megyn Kelly for $5 million. Instead of standing by what he believes is right, he was willing to sell out. That’s America.
Hey… @$$, It goes STRAIGHT to the charity, instead he met with the charity it WOULD have gone to. F FOX NEWS.
As a former military spouse 00-10 please understand this. My husband and I did the time, he served his country and we worked as a team to do so. Unfortunately we were never able to have children, but we took advantage of that living in the UK for 3 years. Traveling Europe and living life. Sadly under Obama he was kicked out,18 years in 2 years to retire. For silly things, never as severe as what Hilary has done or will ever do again. We are good, my husband spent every last dollar of his GI Bill and has found a great civilian job. All I would say to Americans at this point, vote and vote who you think doesn’t play by the rules. My husband and I did that for 18 years and it didn’t work out. Last note, my husband worked on the F22 program with the Airforce. He was good enough to do that, first and only ever mistake he made he was kicked out honorably.