Fox News Changes Headline After White House Calls Network Out

After a Fox News headline claimed the White House promoted “grooming and pedophilia” by flying a version of the Pride flag, a deputy White House spokesperson fired back—and Fox blinked. Fox changed the headline of the controversial article in questionafter White House Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates posed a screenshot showing the reporter behind the story didn’t disclose the article’s framing when he asked for comment. “@FoxNews is characteristically lying through their teeth,” Bates wrote. “Fox never even communicated the malicious and discredited foundation of this article to the White House.” After the call-out, the headline of the controversial article changed from “White House flew controversial new transgender flag that promoted grooming and pedophilia, say critics” to “White House flew controversial new transgender flag that troubles some critics in the gay community.” The article itself, however, kept the “grooming” allegations intact. One far-right activist quoted in the piece referred said the flag flown by the White House, known as the Progress Pride flag, promoted a “cult of pedophilia,” among similar claims.