WASHINGTON: “Recently I asked the company to allow me to leave Fox News and begin a new chapter,” Smith says in a prepared statement. Of course, after 23 years at Fox, that Smith would want to do something else is not acceptable.
The mainstream and social media denizens are blaming Trump for the anchor’s departure.
Yep, that’s right. After traveling the world, including war zones, as a correspondent, Donald Trump’s criticism is going to have Smith throwing away a lucrative gig at the top cable news network. That makes sense.
Smith has been critical of the President and they have had a bit of feud going on. “Is he leaving? Oh, that’s a shame,” Trump says to reporters when learning of Smith’s exit.
Wait, no it’s Tucker Carlson’s fault…
Smith got into a heated squabble with Carlson after Joe de Genova, a guest on Tucker Carlson Tonight ’s called Judge Andrew Napolitano a “fool” for saying that Trump had broken the law. Smith said, on-air, that it was “repugnant” that Carlson had not spoken up in defense of Judge Nap, as he is colloquially known, on the network.
Judge Napolitano, like Smith, is frequently critical of the President.
Flashback: O’Reilly fans furious at Fox for firing him
This is not the first time Smith had a difference in opinion with Carlson and, this time, Sean Hannity. Just before the 2016 elections, Smith reporting is that Fox’s coverage of immigrant caravans in Mexico are overblown. This while Carlson and Hannity were reporting that caravans of Central Americas were heading for a U.S. – Mexico border invasion.
“There is no invasion. No one’s coming to get you. There’s nothing at all to worry about,” Smith said on his show Oct. 29, after implying news of the caravan was to coincide with the midterm elections. Another story that Smith contradicted other anchors on was in November 2017.
WATCH: Shep breaks down the #UraniumOne controversy: https://t.co/Cd8CNTSDIN
— Shepard Smith (@ShepNewsTeam) November 14, 2017
Smith disagreed that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton greenlighted a uranium deal that benefited her foundation, a storyline his colleagues were reporting.
Or it may have been that his audience at Fox was dwindling even as Smith’s more liberal views were emerging. Fan complaints about Smith’s non-allegiance to the President and conservatism have been growing.
YAY! Shepard Smith Leaving Fox News https://t.co/LCKLNn4j2h via @thr
— Bill Mitchell (@mitchellvii) October 11, 2019
As a never-Trumper, Smith was part of the growing liberalization of the once staunchly conservative cable news channel. Why did he leave? We are sure to know eventually. There has to be a book in there somewhere.
Smith’s on-air announcement that today is his last show:
Shep Smith announces that today was his last show and he’s leaving Fox News pic.twitter.com/JF28ub1js6
— Andrew Lawrence (@ndrew_lawrence) October 11, 2019
