Fox News anchor Bret Baier criticized President Donald Trump for his "over-the-top" attacks on the media, telling The Atlantic that "it's not a good thing for the country."
In an extensive Q&A with The Atlantic, Baier said Trump's attitude toward the media is "night and day" compared to previous administrations, even Republican ones.
"Every administration thinks they're getting bad press," Baier told The Atlantic. "The Trump administration not only complains about it behind the scenes, but the president obviously takes that case to the American people — and sometimes in a very pointed and, in my opinion, over-the-top way, which for us as journalists is very uncomfortable.
"It may work to fire up the base because we're a target, we have lower approval ratings than Congress. But for doing our jobs, it's not a good thing. And probably for the country, it's not a good thing," said Baier, anchor of the nightly newscast "Special Report" on Fox News.
Baier's actual interview for the story took place the last week of September, The Atlantic reported, meaning his comments came two weeks before Trump's sustained attacks on NBC News, during which he's threatened to review — possibly revoke — the network's FCC license.
"Now on the flip side, I will tell you that there have been stories by some organizations where they've gotten over their skis," Baier told The Atlantic. "I mean, they're clearly advocating [against Trump] and not covering [him]. Every time one of those stories happens, it gives ammunition to the president and the people to say it's all fake news."
But Baier rebuffs the notion that the media is an enemy to the president.
"There's not a lot of love out there for the media in the country, but for the most part [journalists] are just trying to do their job. What I know is most [journalists] are pretty good people, and when they make a mistake, the perception I know is that they're jumped on for that," Baier said.
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