Bret Baier defends Fox News reporter after being slammed by Trump

Fox News anchor Bret Baier responded directly to President Trump on air just minutes after the the president attacked one of the network’s reporters on Truth Social for a story the network ran regarding ongoing tensions with Iran.

After Fox correspondent Jonathan Hunt reported U.S. leaders are set to meet with Group of 20 leaders to increase pressure on Iran, Trump blasted the reporter and his network for the segment, which ran at the top of the network’s evening newscast “Special Report.”

“Jonathan Hunt of FoxNews did a particularly inaccurate report on the Failing Islamic Republic of Iran,” the president wrote on his social media website while “Special Report” was still airing. “I don’t want to meet, they do. In fact, they are begging to make a deal. Bret Baier should straighten out his flunkies, for a change!”

Baier, before Thursday night’s show ended, responded to Trump.

“First of all, Jonathan is not a flunky. He is a great reporter,” the anchor said. “Second of all, Mr. President, we didn’t say you wanted to meet. In fact, we played a soundbite; you didn’t want to meet, and there are negotiations. We said that Treasury Secretary Bessent is hoping to meet with G20 countries to increase the pressure on Iran, and Gulf State allies, including Qatar, are inside Tehran trying to get Iran to agree to concessions. That’s what we said.”

Trump and his allies have repeatedly attacked news outlets over coverage of the ongoing conflict in Iran and the president’s efforts to control the Strait of Hormuz amid rising gas prices in the U.S.

The president has had an on-again, off-again relationship with Fox going back years, attacking its founder and former top executive Rupert Murdoch during the 2024 campaign.

Trump has also sat with a number of its top hosts and reporters for interviews during his second term and tapped several former hosts at the network to serve in his Cabinet or other key positions in the administration.

Baier is Fox’s chief political correspondent, who regularly speaks with the president directly.