Fox & Friends downplays report about Trump Jr.'s communication with Wikileaks as just a “talking point”

Steve Doocy: “No laws were broken. It just gives the talking point, 'Hey, there's a connection, look, Russia, Wikileaks, Trump Jr.'”

From the November 14 edition of Fox News' Fox & Friends

Video file

STEVE DOOCY (CO-HOST): The headline really actually sounds worse than apparently it is legally because when you think, OK, so, during the campaign Don Jr. is direct messaging with Wikileaks. But then when you start to look at what's going on, Brian, you mentioned Julian Assange. Julian Assange a year ago tweeted out that he had already contacted, direct messaged, Don Jr. saying, “Hey, you got that story about all your emails out there, why don't you give them to us and then we'll put them out.” So, we knew that it was going on, now The Atlantic has got some sort of big exclusive where somebody blabbed. Although, according to the lawyers I have heard, no laws were broken. It just gives the talking point, “Hey, there's a connection, look, Russia, Wikileaks, Trump Jr.”

BRIAN KILMEADE (CO-HOST): The last interaction, one of the last interactions was, “Hey, if you guys lose the election, and you guys want to start a network, don't concede the election. Use that momentum to form a network and to help get momentum to launch your own TV network.” OK. Thanks for the advice, I appreciate it.

AINSLEY EARHARDT (CO-HOST): Wikileaks was writing him saying, “Leak one of your father's tax returns.” “Hey, Don, if your father loses we think it's much more interesting if he does not concede and spends time challenging the media.” “Get your dad to tweet this link out.”

DOOCY: The legal standard is did Don Jr. ask for something of value from a foreign national? And the answer is no. Was there collusion, whatever that is? Can't find it. 

Related:

The Atlantic: The secret correspondence between Donald Trump Jr. and WikiLeaks

Previously:

Fox & Friends’ Kilmeade calls for an end date for the Russia investigation: “Six months is enough”

Fox erases Trump Jr.'s link to extreme far-right blog in his tweet about Russian Facebook ads

Fox's Gregg Jarrett: Foreign nationals are allowed to participate in foreign campaigns so Trump Jr. did nothing wrong

CNN: Fox News faces internal revolt over its embarrassing Russia coverage