Trump Claims Fox News ‘Apologized’ Over Debate Statement
Trump told CNN that an unnamed Fox executive “apologized” to him for a mocking statement the network issued two days before the debate. Speaking to a small group of reporters aboard his private plane Thursday evening before his counter-debate event to raise money for wounded veterans he said:
“I got an apology, it was very nice, and I appreciated it. And that’s why I was so open to doing something, but by that time it was just too late.”
Trump said Fox “could not have been nicer” as it tried to woo him back into attending the debate. But he stuck to his plan of holding a competing event aimed at raising funds for veterans’ organizations.
Later Trump told CNN’s Brianna Keilar in an interview aboard Trump’s private plane:
“I was treated very unfairly by Fox. Since then they’ve been excellent, they’ve been very nice, but it’s too late.”
Reality
Fox heard Trump’s remarks and fired back in a statement. The network suggested that it didn’t apologize outright — instead it, “acknowledged his concerns about a satirical observation we made in order to quell the attacks on Megyn Kelly, and prevent her from being smeared any further.”
Trump would not say who from Fox News called to apologize for the network’s behavior.