Maher: Fox News is running the country

HBO host Bill Maher on Friday said he thinks the U.S. is being run by Fox News hosts.

On his show “Real Time with Bill Maher,” Maher called the amount of influence that the network has on the president “scary.”

“It’s scary how much Trump takes his cues from Fox News,” Maher said.

Trump is known to be a frequent viewer of the network, particularly “Fox & Friends,” and often tweets in response to what the show’s hosts have been discussing.

{mosads}

Maher joked that while Russian state television broadcasts Russian President Vladimir Putin’s views, he thinks the situation is reversed in the U.S.

“Putin has state TV, but Putin’s not an idiot,” Maher said. “So state TV does what Putin wants. I think it’s the other way in this country.”

“America’s being run by Steve Doocy,” he added, referring to the “Fox & Friends” host.

In December, Mediaite named the “Fox & Friends” hosts the “most influential” in media because the president watches and responds to them frequently.

Trump praised the show following the award, tweeting that “the many Fake News Hate Shows should study your formula for success!”

Was @foxandfriends just named the most influential show in news? You deserve it – three great people! The many Fake News Hate Shows should study your formula for success!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 21, 2017