Fox News’s Harris Faulkner criticized ABC’s Rachel Scott for causing an “emotional” start to former President Trump’s interview at the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) convention on Wednesday.
Faulkner said the moderators should have welcomed Trump on stage and acknowledged that just weeks prior he had undergone an assassination attempt.
Scott opened the question-and-answer session with Trump by citing his past comments about Black people, asking him why Black voters should trust him. Trump shot back and said he didn’t think he’d ever been asked a question “in such a horrible manner.”
“He walks out onstage and not a greeting to acknowledge it’s been 18 days at that point since you survived an assassination attempt. We’re going to ask you tough questions, but Mr. President, welcome and we’re glad you’re still here,” Faulkner said.
“I mean, it didn’t take much to show humanity, and in that moment, I was so disappointed that that didn’t happen,” she said, adding that “things got off to an emotional start.”
Faulkner co-moderated the event with Scott and Semafor’s Kadia Goba. Trump’s interview and combative tone at times struck a negative chord and evoked animated responses from the audience.
Faulkner said Thursday that while there were some who were critical of what Trump had to say, it was expressed “respectfully.”
“There was a way to have taken some of the energy out of that moment though,” she said.
In a Fox segment Wednesday, Faulkner said there was some contention onstage over whether or not Trump could hear the questions being asked.
On Thursday, she argued that they should have sat in a more circular format so the former president could better hear the questions he was asked and she could hear the responses.
“I mean, we’re not, you know, in COVID restrictions anymore, and I even said we need to be in more of an arc so we can talk to each other,” Faulkner said.
Trump sat on the seat furthest to the left, with Scott closest to him, Goba in the middle and Faulkner was on the right, the furthest away from the former president in a straight line.
The Hill has reached out to ABC for comment.