Is Fox News losing its viewer base? Seems like it.
On Thursday night, Sean Hannity, the host of Fox News, held a town hall event in Iowa. During the event, he faced a mixed reaction from attendees who were supporters of Donald Trump. Hannity dared to inquire if the former president would consider adopting a less confrontational approach in order to garner support from a broader spectrum of voters. As a result, some of Trump’s ardent followers expressed their disapproval by booing Hannity.
In transcript provided by Newsweek, Hannity asked Trump, “People ask me, ‘Why does he [Trump] have to fight so hard? Why doesn’t he pick his fights a little more? Why does he have to call people names?’ And the only reason I think this is an important question is because…it’s going to come down to those people that may be in the middle a little more. The argument that they made to me is if he could just tone it down a hair…it might help you with swing voters that are needed for you to get over the finish line.”
As Hannity posed his question, the crowd’s response took an abrupt turn with a chorus of “boos,” causing a disruption in the atmosphere. Reacting to the unexpected reaction, the Fox News host quickly interjected, “Hang on! I merely relayed their question. Please refrain from directing your displeasure at me.”
In anticipation of the 2024 presidential election, this event served as Trump’s second town hall, the first being with CNN. Contrasting his previous encounter with CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, this time Trump had the opportunity to express himself more openly during his conversation with Hannity. Unlike the previous town hall, which attracted controversy as Collins consistently challenged Trump’s inaccurate and deceptive statements, this particular event allowed Trump to address the audience without facing persistent pushback from the moderator.
Trump utilized the platform to highlight his perceived competence in promptly resolving what Hannity referred to as the core concerns of the United States. He placed the blame for the crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border, surging energy prices, and “law and order” matters squarely on the shoulders of the Biden administration. Trump asserted that, if given the opportunity to return to office, he could tackle these issues and deliver tangible improvements within a span of six months.
Trump then hit DeSantis and said, “I hear DeSanctis say, ‘Oh, well I get eight years…he gets four’. You don’t need four, and you don’t need eight. You need six months.”
WATCH:
Hannity Booed at Trump Town Hall for Question About Name-Calling; Trump’s Answer Is PERFECT! pic.twitter.com/yliduP0rmB
— 🔴♦️ ULTRA-MAGA Lori 🇺🇸 Patriot♦️🔴 (@LiberatedCit) June 2, 2023