President Donald Trump attacked Fox News over the weekend, asking "what the hell is happening" at the right-leaning network.
The president specifically targeted Fox News Sunday host Chris Wallace, complaining on Twitter that he was "even worse than Sleepy Eyes Chuck Todd." The insults drew a rare public rebuke of the president from one of the co-hosts of "Fox & Friends Weekend."
"Just watched Mike Wallace wannabe, Chris Wallace, on @FoxNews," Trump wrote in the Sunday afternoon tweet. "I am now convinced that he is even worse than Sleepy Eyes Chuck Todd of Meet the Press(please!), or the people over at Deface the Nation. What the hell is happening to @FoxNews. It's a whole new ballgame over there!"
Trump did not specify what elicited the critical tweet. Mediaite speculated that it could have been a segment in which Wallace mentioned a report in The New York Times revealing that "the president was warned about the potential for a pandemic but that internal divisions, lack of planning and his faith in his own instincts led to a halting response."
"How much did those lost weeks cost us?" Wallace asked. The Fox News host also appeared to criticize Trump for "getting into fights with governors he did not think were sufficiently appreciative or reporters."
One of Wallace's Fox News colleagues publicly criticized Trump for engaging in childish "name-calling."
"Enough with the 3rd grade name-calling. Chris is doing his job," "Fox & Friends" Weekend co-host Jedediah Bila tweeted in response. "The news should not be any president's friend, ally, or buddy. If it bothered you when Obama complained about Fox News, but you're silent on this complete nonsense, then just stop. Seriously. Enough."
Bila revealed Thursday on social media that she had tested positive for COVID-19.
"I know I've been a little MIA," Jedediah Bila wrote. "I'm actually at home recovering from Covid-19. I'm very much on the mend, so please don't worry. My husband is also recovering well at home and Hartley luckily did not get sick (Thank you, God, I am forever grateful.) This is a crazy time in the world, full of so much anxiety and fear. I've learned so much this past week and done so much thinking."
She added, "Know that I'm sending love, peace, and good energy from my family to yours. I'll be sharing more in coming weeks. Thank you for your messages. I love and miss you all."
Trump and Wallace have had several heated exchanges in the past. After Wallace interviewed South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg in July, the president tweeted that "Fox is moving more and more to the losing (wrong) side in covering the Dems."
Trump also tweeted angrily at Wallace in October after the Fox News host reported on the president's Ukraine scandal, saying: "Somebody please explain to Chris Wallace of Fox, who will never be his father (and my friend), Mike Wallace, that the Phone Conversation I had with the President of Ukraine was a congenial & good one. It was only [Adam] Schiff's made up version of that conversation that was bad!"
Trump also lashed out at Wallace last year after the Fox News host pointed out that "leaders in authoritarian countries like Russia, China, Venezuela now repress the media using your word." Wallace said, "You're seen around the world as a beacon for repression.
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