Sean Hannity scoffs at reports that Trump tried to fire Mueller, then backpedals after a Fox News correspondent confirms it
- Fox News host Sean Hannity backpedaled on a rant against a bombshell New York Times report that said President Donald Trump tried to fire special counsel Robert Mueller.
- After railing against The Times's story, Hannity appeared to concede once a Fox News correspondent confirmed the details.
Following a New York Times' report that President Donald Trump had ordered special counsel Robert Mueller fired one month after he was chosen to oversee the Russia investigation, Fox News host Sean Hannity came out swinging on his program Thursday night.
"They're trying to change the story," Hannity said, referring to The Times's report. "At this hour, The New York Times is trying to distract you."
"And our sources, and I've checked in with many of them, they're not confirming that tonight," Hannity continued. "And the president's attorney dismissed the story, and says, 'Nope, no comment. We're not going there.' And how many times has The New York Times and others gotten it wrong."
Hannity then opened the floor for commentary from former Trump aide Sebastian Gorka and former Republican Party presidential candidate Herman Cain, both of whom discussed news of the text messages exchanged between FBI agent Peter Strzok and lawyer Lisa Page instead.
Later during the segment, Hannity appeared to concede to The Times's earlier reporting.
"All right, so we have sources tonight just confirming ... that yeah, maybe Donald Trump wanted to fire the special counsel for a conflict," the Fox News host said. "Does he not have the right to raise those questions?"
"You know, we'll deal with this tomorrow night," Hannity said, before discussing a high-speed police chase in Arizona.
In addition to the news that Trump wanted to fire Mueller, The Times, which first broke the story, reported that White House counsel Don McGahn threatened to resign over the request, and argued that Mueller's firing would bring about consequences for the Trump administration.