President Trump was not a fan of how Fox News’s Chris Wallace moderated the first presidential debate of the 2020 election cycle.
After he was repeatedly interrupted by Wallace throughout the 90-minute debate with former Vice President Joe Biden, Trump claimed that the moderator of Fox News Sunday “had a tough night.” He also said in his Wednesday morning tweet, “Two on one was not surprising, but fun,” implying that Wallace was attempting to save or defend Biden from the president’s criticism instead of being an impartial moderator.
Chris had a tough night. Two on one was not surprising, but fun. Many important points made, like throwing Bernie, AOC PLUS 3, and the rest, to the wolves! Radical Left is dumping Sleepy Joe. Zero Democrat enthusiasm, WEAK Leadership! https://t.co/BGbPVHau3M
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 30, 2020
“Many important points made, like throwing Bernie, AOC PLUS 3, and the rest, to the wolves! Radical Left is dumping Sleepy Joe,” Trump added. “Zero Democrat enthusiasm, WEAK Leadership!”
The president also retweeted a number of condemnations of Wallace as well as a photograph that suggested Trump was debating both Wallace and Biden.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 30, 2020
“If you still can’t figure out why the American public doesn’t trust the media … just rewatch Chris Wallace’s performance tonight,” one Twitter user who was retweeted by the president said. Another retweeted post said, “Chris Wallace personified why the American public at large distrust the media.”
The president also retweeted a member of his campaign team, who said that Wallace owes the president and “the American people an apology” for how he moderated the debate.
The debate itself was widely criticized as having been an ineffective way for two presidential candidates to share their platforms and debate the merits of their political positions. Instead, the president repeatedly talked over the former vice president and Wallace, with both of them raising their voice or resorting to snide comments to regain control of the debate.
