Fox News hosts join Trump on stage at Missouri campaign rally

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. — Fox News hosts Sean Hannity and Jeanine Pirro joined President Trump onstage at his final campaign rally of the midterms, singing the president’s praises and urging attendees to vote Republican.

“I have a few people that are right out here, and they’re very special,” Trump said, teasing their appearances. “They’ve done an incredible job for us. They’ve been with us from the beginning, also.”

Trump, who has a well-known penchant for Fox News programming, proceeded to call Hannity onstage, even though the Fox News host tweeted earlier in the day that he “will not be on stage campaigning with the President.”

While Hannity and Pirro are vocal Trump supporters and frequently speak to him, it’s unusual for cable news anchors to give candidate-style speeches at campaign rallies. 

{mosads}On stage, Hannity promptly decried the press in attendance as “fake news,” and echoed the president’s mantra of “promises made, promises kept.”

Shortly before taking the stage, Trump spoke with Hannity during his 9 p.m. show. The two men talked about Trump’s campaign efforts, and commiserated over the country’s immigration laws.

Hannity lamented that Trump missed his opening monologue while he was traveling, but the president reassured him that was not the case.

“I saw it on the plane,” Trump said. “I never miss your opening monologue. I would never do that.”

As Trump took the stage, Hannity high-fived White House communications director and former Fox News executive Bill Shine, who was observing the event from the wings of the arena.

Trump also called on his “friend,” Pirro, to take the stage, introducing her as “Justice Jeanine.”

“If you like the America that [Trump] is making now, you’ve got to make sure you get out there tomorrow if you haven’t voted yet,” Pirro, host of “Justice with Jeanine,” implored the crowd.

Another Fox News host, “Fox & Friends” host Brian Kilmeade, last month said he mistakenly donated roughly $600 to the Trump campaign. Keith Olbermann, an outspoken liberal, was suspended by MSNBC in 2010 for donating to Democratic candidates. 

Trump’s rally in Missouri was his last of three campaign stops on Monday as he sought to boost GOP Senate candidates prior to Election Day.

At each event, Trump introduced prominent surrogates who whipped the crowd into a frenzy.

Ivanka Trump, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders and White House counselor Kellyanne Conway appeared at multiple rallies, including in Missouri, and conservative talk radio host Rush Limbaugh also introduced the president in Missouri.