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Fox News panel blasts Trump’s debate complaints

by Elliot Smilowitz - 08/07/15 8:48 PM ET

A Fox News panel Friday blasted Donald Trump’s complaints about the network, calling his issues with Thursday’s GOP presidential debate moderators “ridiculous.”

The businessman unleashed a series of insults toward the network and debate moderator Megyn Kelly on Friday, calling her “not very good or professional.”

{mosads}Trump’s complaints come after the debate’s moderators asked the candidate about statements he’s made about women, as well as whether he would run as a third-party candidate in 2016 if he loses the nomination.

On Fox News’ “Special Report” on Friday, conservative pundit Charles Krauthammer questioned why Trump was so easy to anger.

“This is a guy who’s running as a tough guy,” Krauthammer said, characterizing Trump’s stances as “I’m gonna kill China in negotiations, I’m gonna build a wall and I’ll make Mexico pay for it, and I’m gonna stare down Putin.”

“Now he says that he was treated not nicely by three Fox News anchors,” he added. “It doesn’t quite fit.”

Pundit Kirsten Powers added that the questions asked of Trump were “absolutely fair” and “extremely professional.”

“He’s being asked about verbatim quotes that he made,” Powers said. “If he can’t answer those kinds of questions, then he shouldn’t be running for president.”

Jonah Goldberg of National Review called it “ridiculous” for Trump to take issue with the moderators for asking whether he would run as a third-party candidate, noting it’s something he’s frequently discussed doing.

“What he’s trying to do is blackmail the Republican Party not to be mean to him,” Goldberg said of Trump’s threats. “But it undermines the idea that the question wasn’t fair, because he’s actually admitting that that’s what his strategy is.”

Tags Charles Krauthammer Donald Trump Fox News debate GOP debate