Former White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham said officials in former President Donald Trump‘s administration counted on Fox News to provide favorable news coverage of the administration.
“That’s just where we went to get what we wanted out,” Grisham said during an appearance on CNN’s “New Day.” “By and large, they didn’t get tough with us. They just took what we were saying and disseminated it.”
Grisham also drew a connection between Fox News’s coverage of the Trump administration and the Capitol attack of January 6, the day a mob of Trump’s supporters stormed the United States Capitol based on the false premise that the 2020 election had been stolen, a conspiracy theory that Fox News often amplified.
“Again I’ve had a lot of time to grapple with this and I feel horribly guilty about my part in it,” she said. “Because I went on Fox a lot.”Â
To get more stories like this, subscribe to our newsletter The Daily.
Stephanie Grisham on how the White House used Fox News: "That's just where we went to get what we wanted out … By and large, they didn't get tough with us. They just took what we were saying and disseminated it." pic.twitter.com/qltmEzYvUk
— Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) October 5, 2021
During her time as Trump’s White House press secretary, Grisham often defended Trump from criticism, including when she said that the impeachment inquiry against Trump was a “sham hearing” that is “not only boring, it is a colossal waste of taxpayer time & money.” She also described Trump as a “counter-puncher” who was “under attack.” She ultimately left the White House after the Capitol attack. During her time working for the Trump administration, she never held a single press briefing but still found time to attack the press.
Grisham’s memoir, “I’ll Take Your Questions Now,” comes out today.
Alan is a writer, editor, and news junkie based in New York.
