Fox News execs met with Trump on indictment day, asking him to come to debate

Former President Trump had dinner Tuesday with top executives at Fox News who asked him to consider attending the first Republican primary debate later this month, according to a new report.

The dinner, which The New York Times reported took place at Trump’s Bedminster, N.J., Golf Club, was with Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott and network President Jay Wallace. Prime-time anchor Sean Hannity was also reportedly supposed to attend the dinner but was busy hosting his 9 p.m. show.

Scott and Wallace reportedly made an overture to Trump telling him attending the event, which Fox will broadcast Aug. 23 from Milwaukee, could present an opportunity for the former president to show his debate skills. The Times story noted people close to Trump have separately warned the former president in recent weeks that not showing up to the first debate could allow another candidate to perform well.

Trump has so far not committed to attending the first debate, citing the sizable lead he holds on other GOP primary candidates and what he has described as a “hostile” relationship with Fox.

The former president has attacked Fox using his Truth Social website in recent months.

Trump has specifically taken issue with the idea of answering questions in a debate setting from Bret Baier, Fox’s top political anchor, who will moderate the first debate with Martha MacCallum.

Trump, however, sat for an extensive interview in June with Baier. Following the interview, he called Baier “nasty” and accused the anchor of not being supportive enough of him during their conversation.

People who spoke to the Times described the Tuesday dinner between Trump and the Fox executives as “cordial.”

The meeting came just hours after Trump was indicted in federal court on four counts in connection with his efforts to contest the results of the 2020 election, which culminated in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Earlier this year, Fox agreed to pay $787 million to Dominion Voting Systems to settle claims of defamation brought against the network over its coverage of false statements made on its air about Dominion’s software by Trump and his allies.