At the end of a radio interview with pro-Trump media figure Sebastian Gorka on Tuesday, Fox News host Jeanine Pirro admitted what had long been reported but never confirmed by the network: She was, indeed, suspended by Fox News over her Islamophobic remarks about Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN).
Following the end of her call-in interview during Tuesday’s broadcast of America First with Sebastian Gorka, Pirro continued her conversation with the former Trump aide while they were still being taped for Gorka’s YouTube channel.
“Hey Jeanine, we’re still live, the mics are live on YouTube,” Gorka said, in a moment first reported by Media Matters for America. “Are you doing any events in D.C. again? In the near future?”
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Pirro, meanwhile, went on to grouse about Fox News’ restrictions on her, after telling Gorka she would need to see if the network would allow her do a live studio interview with him.
“You know Fox reviews everything. They’re unbelievable,” she complained, prompting Gorka to ask if she had some flexibility due to her recent book release.
“No. They’re still saying you cannot do Bill O’Reilly, you cannot do Newsmax,” Pirro noted. “You know what, they suspended me. And I’m not going to get fired. You know I’m worried that that suspension was the basis to tee up for anything I do wrong, they’ll fire me.”
While it was reported back in March that she was suspended after openly questioning Omar’s loyalty to America because she is Muslim, this is the first time either Pirro or Fox News have publicly confirmed the suspension.
After Pirro’s show was bumped from the air for two weeks, a Fox News spokesperson declined to talk about any potential suspension, merely stating, “We are not commenting on internal scheduling matters.”
President Donald Trump, meanwhile, was absolutely livid over the sidelining of one of his most loyal media boosters, demanding that she be placed back on the air immediately.
After she returned to the air, Pirro did not address the controversy, instead merely thanking her viewers for tuning in to her program.
