Some Fox News viewers criticized anchor Bret Baier Wednesday over a statement he made about President Donald Trump banning a CNN reporter, and they took to social media to register their dissatisfaction.
Some viewers thought Baier had shown disloyalty to Trump because he said that Fox News stood "firmly" with CNN on the issue of media availability. The Trump administration had told a CNN reporter that she was not allowed at an announcement in the Rose Garden because she acted inappropriately earlier that day. She denies their characterization of her behavior.
“As a member of the White House press pool, Fox stands firmly with CNN on this issue of access,” Baier said immediately after the story broke.
Wednesday evening, Baier patiently answered some of his critics on social media and defended his statement.
"When Sam Donaldson would yell questions at Ronald Reagan — what do you think folks supporting the President called him?" Baier asked, referring to Reagan allowing access to hostile reporters.
"They are members of the WH press pool," he explained to another angry critic. "Kaitlan was doing what pool reporters do. We stand for access for WH reporters-no matter what you think about their coverage."
"Again -no Reagan supporter loved Sam Donaldson-but he was there-always," he added.
Baier reminded some that CNN stood up for Fox News when former President Barack Obama refused them access during his term in office.
"When President Obama’s administration left us out of round robin interviews — CNN and [Jake Tapper] spoke out for us," he tweeted.
"As a member of the WH press pool - on the news side - that’s what is supposed to happen," he added.
Others, like journalist Dan Balz of the Washington Post and National Review's Jonah Goldberg, defended Baier and praised him for "upholding basic standards of decency and journalism."
CNN released a statement explaining its version of events, which was at odds with the version the White House promulgated in its press statement.
