Fox News modified Trump's disjointed responses and inaccurate assertions during a barbershop interview, as depicted in the complete video.
Trump interacted with patrons and staff at a barbershop, some donning "Make Barbers Great Again" garments. This occurrence was part of Lawrence Jones' ongoing barbershop interview series on "Fox & Friends."
The telecast depicted a condensed version of the encounter, omitting numerous of Trump's rambling remarks and misleading statements. Participants had to frequently rephrase their questions to keep Trump focused on the main topic.
CNN examined a more comprehensive recording of the barbershop session, uploaded to Instagram on the same day, and compared it to the segments aired on "Fox & Friends" on Monday.
Fox eliminated numerous Trump digressions and fabrications – an intriguing move considering Trump's recent criticisms of CBS's "60 Minutes" for editing an interview with Vice President Kamala Harris a short while prior.
Trump's criticisms towards "60 Minutes" centered around an edited comment by Harris regarding Israel and the United States. He argued that CBS manipulated the interview to favor Harris and demanded the release of the unedited transcript, which CBS declined to provide.
Paradoxically, Fox edited various of Trump's appearances on the network, including the barbershop visit. Some of these edits arguably improved Trump's image.
The broadcast did not include Trump's remarks about Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio. He informed the barbershop patrons that "they just transported 50,000 individuals – 32,000 migrants from another nation – in Springfield, Ohio. They don't know what to do." According to city data, the actual number of migrants in Springfield is significantly lower. The broadcast also excluded Trump's exaggerated claims about crime in Aurora, Colorado.
One of the most notable moments in the dialogue occurred when a spectator asked Trump about finding a way to abolish federal taxes in the future. On Fox, Trump was shown promptly replying "There is a way."
However, this affirmative response came over seven minutes later, following discussions on inheritances, the Keystone Pipeline, Ronald Reagan, Russia, and transgender athletes. Trump had to be guided back on track several times by the anonymous audience member, who consistently apologized and requested to resume his question. After repeating his concern about taxes once more, Trump eventually agreed "There is a way."
However, the broadcast seamlessly merged these exchanges.
Fox also omitted some of Trump's insults, including his mockery of the Wall Street Journal. "Disregard" the "Wall Street jerks or Wall Street Journal," Trump advised the barbershop audience, "as they don't comprehend it."
Another unplayed portion of the visit featured Trump praising Hungarian leader Viktor Orban and calling him "a highly respected man." This exchange highlighted Trump's penchant for supporting autocratic leaders, but Fox opted not to share it with viewers.
A Fox News spokesperson confirmed that each of Lawrence Jones' barbershop segments are pre-recorded and edited. The Bronx episode spanned nearly an hour and was abridged for both time and clarity, the network claimed.
Trump's recent appearance on the Fox News program "MediaBuzz" was also pre-recorded and edited. One evident modification occurred when Trump started repeating his false claims about the 2020 election – a contentious topic for Fox, given the network is still dealing with defamation lawsuits related to its 2020 coverage.
The edited Fox & Friends segment showcased Trump's affirmative response about abolishing federal taxes, but it hidden the lengthy discussion on various topics that led up to it. Despite Fox's claim of abridging the segment for clarity, it also omitted Trump's criticisms towards the Wall Street Journal and his praise for Hungarian leader Viktor Orban.
In the wake of Trump's criticisms towards CBS's "60 Minutes," Fox's editing of Trump's barbershop visit raises questions about media's role in shaping the public's perception, especially when it comes to political figures and their statements.
