A spokesman for Shepard Smith denied that his departure from Fox News was related to a recent meeting between Attorney General William Barr and network mogul Rupert Murdoch.
Smith announced his last day anchoring Shepard Smith Reporting on Friday at the end of his show. Many were quick to speculate that the frequent Trump critic was outed from the show after Murdoch and Barr met at the former’s home on Wednesday, but it’s unclear what was discussed during their rendezvous, according to the New York Times.
Chris Giglio, a spokesman for Smith, told the paper’s Michael M. Grynbaum, “This was Shep’s decision and his alone,” in response to the rumors.
NEW: The Barr-Murdoch meeting was *not* related to Shep Smith’s exit, Chris Giglio, a spokesman for Shep, tells me via email. “This was Shep’s decision and his alone.”
— Michael M. Grynbaum (@grynbaum) October 11, 2019
MSNBC anchor Chris Hayes was one of many who speculated that the two events could be related.
“So Barr goes and meets w Murdoch and then…,” he tweeted. “I mean who knows. I have no inside info. Mostly I thought the AG having a meeting at Rupert’s house, amidst very public internal battles over coverage of Trump, looked…odd.”
I mean who knows. I have no inside info. Mostly I thought the AG having a meeting at Rupert’s house, amidst very public internal battles over coverage of Trump, looked…odd.
— Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) October 11, 2019
Hayes was far from the only person to speculate about the possible connection.
AG Barr meets with Fox’s Murdoch: Trump critic Shep Smith is ousted.
This is totally normal, right?
Can’t keep up: kids in cages, sacrificing allies, burning the Constitution, sexual predators in the highest positions of power –
There’s no punchline. I want my country back.
— Rob Anderson for Louisiana (@RobAnderson2018) October 11, 2019
Such a “surprise” that Shep Smith departed @FOXNews soon after @realDonaldTrump‘s ringer AG Bill Barr met with FOX’s Rupert Murdoch.
Ousting reporters you don’t like is the work of dictators, not presidents.?#TrumpCrimeSyndicate #ImpeachTrump https://t.co/Q9Le6g4A6j
— Dr. Dena Grayson (@DrDenaGrayson) October 11, 2019
William Barr met with Rupert Murdoch YESTERDAY, y’all. https://t.co/3GMx7U2EIh
— Elie Mystal (@ElieNYC) October 11, 2019
So William Barr met with Rupert Murdoch last night, and now Shep Smith is leaving Fox News.
If Trump had anything to do with Shep’s departure, that’s a pretty clear violation of the First Amendment.
— Thor Benson (@thor_benson) October 11, 2019
Shep Smith is leaving Fox News. The only person over there with an interest in occasionally holding this president accountable.
And he is doing it the day after AG William Barr holds a secret meeting with Rupert fucking Murdoch.
You smell somethin?
— steven pasquale (@StevePasquale) October 11, 2019
Fox News also denied the speculation, with a spokesperson telling the Washington Examiner that any rumors of the sort are “absolutely not true.”
