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After over three years of Donald Trump's reign, it is entirely unsurprising when the President of the United States uses his Twitter account to publicly bully others.
But an insult-via-tweet does turn some heads when it's directed at anybody from Fox News, the one news network the President consistently showers praise upon.
Until they go off script and tell the truth, report on an unfavorable poll, or do anything that might be considered criticism of Trump.
Donald Trump recently took to Twitter and attacked Chris Wallace, the host of Fox News Sunday, a program Wallace has anchored since he took the post in 2003.
Just watched Mike Wallace wannabe, Chris Wallace, on @FoxNews. I am now convinced that he is even worse than Sleepy… https://t.co/Mq2Y3kLQDX— Donald J. Trump (@Donald J. Trump)1586720977.0
The tweet illustrates the President's apparent frustrations as he watches his favorite news source slip away.
Trump has spent his entire presidency denouncing any and all news sources that criticize his leadership decisions and policies. Fox News, for the most part, has avoided a place on that list.
But as criticisms mount regarding the President's handling of the global pandemic's spread in the United States, even Trump's most reliably supportive network has begun to stop holding its tongue.
And if that new distance wasn't certain enough, a defensive return blast from another Fox News host would hammer the fact home.
Just hours after Trump's tweet, Jedediah Bila, weekend co-host of Fox & Friends, stepped in to deliver a returning blow on Wallace's behalf.
It's worth mentioning that Trump regularly calls in to Bila's program.
Enough with the 3rd grade name-calling. Chris is doing his job. The news should not be any president’s friend, ally… https://t.co/gLpGe7Ptv7— Jedediah Bila (@Jedediah Bila)1586725252.0
A few Twitter users enjoyed the back and forth.
They either applauded Bila's solidarity or generally took pleasure in witnessing the infighting.
@kelli_hegeman @JedediahBila Chris Wallace Reports Facts..that’s why he is respected. He has integrity. Trumps’ dis… https://t.co/QwSp1lBjaV— Amma Opoku (@Amma Opoku)1586740351.0
@JedediahBila Fox is feeling the heat. They know they created what will destroy them— Alex Cole (@Alex Cole)1586750299.0
One or two responses simply did not accept this as a meaningful challenge to the president.
@JedediahBila @SpiroAgnewGhost I'm sorry, but this is a useless defense from you. 1) you did NOT include Trump's Tw… https://t.co/wOynez8Y9K— OceanGirl🌍🌎🌏🇺🇸🇦🇺🇬🇧🇮🇪 (@OceanGirl🌍🌎🌏🇺🇸🇦🇺🇬🇧🇮🇪)1586735628.0
Most Twitter users, however, simply disagreed with Bila.
These comments either reaffirmed the criticisms of Fox News or heaped even more criticism onto Wallace himself.
@JedediahBila Sorry. Chris is completely biased.— CTYankee (@CTYankee)1586725469.0
@JedediahBila There is a difference between asking tough questions and bashing.— Lillian H. Mueller (@Lillian H. Mueller)1586726053.0
@JedediahBila Chris isn’t a real journalist. He is so biased. There’s nothing fair and balanced about him.— Regina (@Regina)1586727193.0
Trump's insulting tweet came when Wallace, on his show, spoke with a panel about Trump's dismissal of pandemic warnings dating back to January 2020.
Chris Wallace on Fox News, hours before Trump attacked him: "This really stunning report in the NYT...that top heal… https://t.co/XAJblKV232— Aaron Rupar (@Aaron Rupar)1586721596.0
Judge for yourself: is this biased anti-Trump editorializing or simply reporting facts?
The book The Fox Effect: How Roger Ailes Turned a Network into a Propaganda Machine is available here.