Fox News' Bret Baier was too 'smiley and nice' to Bernie Sanders, complains Trump


President Trump on Tuesday morning sounded pretty upset over Fox News' town hall with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) — but not because of anything Sanders said.
Instead, Trump attacked Fox News itself for its Monday event with the 2020 Democrat, saying that "not surprisingly," moderator Bret Baier and the audience were "so smiley and nice," putting the word "audience" in quotes as if to raise suspicion. He also referenced Fox News' recent hiring of former Democratic National Committee Chair Donna Brazile as a contributor, calling all of this "very strange."
This tweet, Politico's Anna Palmer points out, was Trump's first time commenting on Sanders at all since February. But other than labeling him "Crazy Bernie," Trump didn't really attack his potential 2020 opponent despite apparently watching it, although perhaps he only saw the clip of the audience being pretty receptive to Sanders' Medicare for All proposal.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Trump has evidently had his eye on Baier for a while, with The New Yorker reporting in March that the president rates the loyalty of everyone on Fox News on a scale of 1 to 10; Baier only gets a 6 compared to Fox & Friends' Steve Doocy, who gets a 12. Baier responded to Trump's tweet by writing, "Thanks for watching, Mr. President." Brendan Morrow
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
Today's political cartoons - April 19, 2025
Cartoons Saturday's cartoons - free trade, judicial pushback, and more
By The Week US
-
5 educational cartoons about the Harvard pushback
Cartoons Artists take on academic freedom, institutional resistance, and more
By The Week US
-
One-pan black chickpeas with baharat and orange recipe
The Week Recommends This one-pan dish offers bold flavours, low effort and minimum clean up
By The Week UK
-
The anger fueling the Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez barnstorming tour
Talking Points The duo is drawing big anti-Trump crowds in red states
By Joel Mathis, The Week US
-
Judge threatens Trump team with criminal contempt
Speed Read James Boasberg attempts to hold the White House accountable for disregarding court orders over El Salvador deportation flights
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
Biden slams Trump's Social Security cuts
Speed Read In his first major public address since leaving office, Biden criticized the Trump administration's 'damage' and 'destruction'
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
El Salvador refuses to return US deportee
Speed Read President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador said he would not send back the unlawfully deported Kilmar Ábrego García
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Trump says electronics tariff break won't last
Speed Read The tariff exemptions on smartphones, laptops and other electronic devices are temporary, the administration says
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Man charged in arson attack on Pennsylvania's Shapiro
Speed Read Governor Josh Shapiro and his family were sleeping when someone set fire to his Harrisburg mansion
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
White House pushes for oversight of Columbia University
Speed Read The Trump administration is considering placing the school under a consent decree
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
Supreme Court backs wrongly deported migrant
Speed Read The Trump administration must 'facilitate' the return of wrongfully deported migrant Kilmar Ábrego García from El Salvador, Supreme Court says
By Peter Weber, The Week US