Trump Totally Misquotes a ‘Fox & Friends’ Segment in Effort to Tout the Power of His Endorsements
Former President Donald Trump completely misquoted one of the hosts on Fox & Friends Sunday in an effort to portray his endorsements as all powerful in Republican politics.
In a post to his Truth Social platform Sunday, the former president touted a Fox & Friends segment which he claimed promoted the strength of his endorsements.
“Rachel Campos-Duffy and Will Cain, two terrific people (along with Pete Hegseth!), were right this morning on Fox & Friends,” Trump wrote. “Almost 99% of the people I support in a Republican Primary, WIN! ‘A Trump Endorsement will MAKE YOUR CAREER, A TRUMP FIGHT MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT!’ Over 75,000 people came to our incredible Rally yesterday in South Carolina, despite an almost 100 degree temperature. It was amazing, THE PEOPLE WERE GREAT. Thank you Pickens!!!
Within that post, Trump included a quote saying “A Trump Endorsement will MAKE YOUR CAREER, A TRUMP FIGHT MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT!” But a review of the segment in question shows the host making the exact opposite point.
As part of a discussion about the former president’s rally in Pickens, SC, co-host Joey Jones — sitting in for Hegseth — argued that the former president’s stamp of approval is not the be all and end all for a Republican politician.
“I live in the state of Georgia,” Jones said. “A Donald Trump endorsement or refute did not change the governor’s race in Georgia for Brian Kemp. Why? Because Brian Kemp was America First. He was the MAGA agenda in the state of Georgia.”
Jones added, in what was clearly the opposite of the point Trump was trying to make with his quote, “A Trump endorsement is not going to make your career, a Trump refute is not going to kill your career. Are you in line with Trump’s policies? That’s what’s going to matter to the American people.”
To be clear, Jones did say Republicans are “very loyal to Donald Trump right now.” But, he added, “You can go to states like Georgia and see politicians who are America First in their agenda that don’t have a good relationship with Donald Trump. And they’re very popular. You can go to states like South Carolina and see a career politician who’s viewed as a part of the military industrial complex establishment, who probably sits in a very different place than Donald Trump on Ukraine. And even with Donald Trump standing there, they’re like, ‘No, we don’t need you around anymore.'” That latter point was a shot at Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) — who was booed heavily at Saturday’s rally.
Beyond the take from Jones, there are larger questions about the power of Trump’s endorsement — particularly in general elections in swing states and districts. Trump did have a 92 percent success record with his Republican primary endorsements in 2022, according to statistics compiled by the Washington Examiner. But the vast majority of those came in races where his preferred candidate was heavily favored. Of the seven candidates Trump endorsed in what Politico considered toss-up House and Senate races, only one prevailed.
Watch above, via Fox News.
