Donald Trump on Tuesday morning used one of the final media appearances of his presidential campaign to deliver a vital message to the American people: Fox News is giving too much airtime to Oprah Winfrey.
The Republican nominee spoke to reporters on Election Day as he and his wife, Melania, cast their votes at Mandel Recreation Center in Palm Beach, Florida. Trump launched into a tirade against Fox News after being asked about a comment Winfrey made. On Monday night at Kamala Harris’ rally in Philadelphia, the TV mogul warned: “If we don’t show up tomorrow, it is entirely possible that we will not have the opportunity to ever cast a ballot again.”
“Well, I think it’s ridiculous,” Trump said of Winfrey’s remarks. “Oprah, I was on her last show or one of her last shows, and they picked the biggest people and all of that, and made a big deal. And actually, I’m disappointed.”
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“I think Oprah’s become a major divider in our country and I think frankly she should be ashamed of herself,” he continued. “And you know who else should be ashamed? Fox. Because I’ve seen Oprah on Fox about 50 times making the same statement. And I think it’s a disgrace what Fox does ’cause everyone thinks Fox is so pro-Trump. They’re not pro-Trump at all. They’ve put Oprah on all morning long.”
He continued his tirade by saying he knows Winfrey well and mentioned the funeral of television executive Roger King, whom Trump described as “Oprah’s mentor.”
“Oprah chose the location,” Trump said. “She said, Mar-a-Lago is the most beautiful place. Would it be possible to have Roger’s funeral at Mar-a-Lago in the ballroom? We did it. The only time I’ve ever had a funeral there. And I think Oprah should be ashamed of herself to say that. She should be ashamed.”
Trump also claimed that Oprah had once “wanted to run with me as the vice president,” referring to a letter she wrote to him in 2000 that concluded: “Too bad we’re not running for office. What A TEAM!”
“And now she goes and makes statements like that,” Trump said Tuesday morning. “She’s a divider. And Barack Hussein Obama is a divider too.”
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