President Donald Trump veered from a solemn anniversary reflection during a Fox News interview to discuss the romantic life of one of the network’s own hosts. Trump was expected to reflect on two years since the attempt on his life in Butler, Pennsylvania. Instead, he launched into a tangent about Ainsley Earhardt and Sean Hannity.
Donald Trump veered from the Butler anniversary into Ainsley Earhardt and Sean Hannity’s relationship
Donald Trump called into Fox & Friends on Monday morning for what was billed as a wide-ranging interview. Topics on the agenda included the death of Senator Lindsey Graham and the war in Iran. However, the conversation unravelled when host Lawrence Jones asked Trump how he felt on the second anniversary of the assassination attempt.
Seemingly ignoring the weight of the occasion, the president launched into a personal anecdote about Ainsley Earhardt. Trump reminded Fox News viewers of his lengthy connection to the co-host through Sean Hannity. “Well, let’s put it this way. So I’ve known Ainsley longer than the two of you. I’ve known her through a great gentleman, a very handsome man named Sean Hannity,” Trump said. He then quipped, “She seemed to be attracted to him for whatever the hell reason, right?”
The businessman continued by recalling an old warning he once gave Earhardt about the presidency. “I once told her a long time ago, I said, ‘This is a very dangerous—being president is a very dangerous profession.’ I said, ‘Why didn’t you tell me that, Ainsley? I wouldn’t have run.’”
Anticipating backlash, Trump immediately pre-empted media criticism. “The press will take that and they’ll say, ‘He wished he didn’t run,’ you know? Because they’re sick. You can never be sarcastic when you’re dealing with the fake news,” he added. Trump eventually steered the conversation back toward presidential safety. He also talked about statistics about commanders-in-chief being targeted.
