A fiery rebuke on Friday, former President Donald Trump criticized Fox News host Steve Doocy for correcting his erroneous claim that Democrats can participate in the upcoming New Hampshire Republican primary. Trump, banned from Twitter and Facebook following the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021, issued a statement through his Save America PAC on Saturday, January 20, 2024, reported by Mediaite.
In the statement, Trump labeled Doocy as “unwatchable” and a “RINO” (Republican in name only), accusing him of undermining the MAGA movement. He urged Fox News to terminate Doocy, asserting that he is a “disgrace.”
Trump repeated baseless allegations of election fraud, insisting he would have won New Hampshire in 2020 were it not for alleged illegal votes. He decried the supposed inclusion of Democrats in the Republican primary, claiming it violated the Constitution and the law.
This statement followed Trump’s appearance on Hannity on Thursday night, where he expressed consideration for a 2024 presidential run and claimed a “great relationship” with former Vice President Mike Pence. Despite his earlier criticism of Pence, Trump maintained there were numerous potential running mates, excluding Nikki Haley, who had criticized him for his role in the Capitol riot.
However, Trump’s false assertion about Democrats participating in the New Hampshire primary drew a fact-check from Doocy on Friday morning. Doocy clarified that state law prohibits Democrats from voting in the Republican primary unless they changed their party affiliation by October 6, 2023. Additionally, he highlighted Trump’s 2020 loss in New Hampshire to Joe Biden and emphasized the state’s history of independent voting patterns.
Doocy’s fact-check prompted Trump’s ire, despite the former president’s history of praising Fox News for loyalty. Trump has previously criticized other Fox News personalities for perceived objectivity or criticism, highlighting tensions within the conservative media landscape.
