Chuck Todd calls out GOP senator for promoting ‘Fox News conspiracy’

Chuck Todd, host of NBC’s “Meet the Press,” called out Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) for responding to a question with a “Fox News conspiracy” during a heated interview on Sunday. 

“I have no idea why a Fox News conspiracy propaganda stuff is popping up on here. I have no idea. I have no idea why we’re going here,” Todd said. 

He then pushed the senator to “answer the question that I asked you instead of trying to make Donald Trump feel better here that you’re not criticizing him.”

“What made you wince? I’m asking a simple question about you clearly were upset that somehow there was an implication that military aid was being frozen because the president wanted an investigation. Why did you wince?” Todd asked.

WATCH: @SenRonJohnson is asked why he winced & brings up a “conspiracy theory.”@chucktodd: “I have no idea why we’re going here. … Can we please answer the question I asked you instead of trying to make Donald Trump feel better here that you’re not criticizing him?” #MTP pic.twitter.com/41i7WPHQlF

— Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) October 6, 2019

“Because I didn’t want those connected,” Johnson responded. “I was supporting the aid.”

Johnson said he asked the president about allegations that military aid was being withheld from Ukraine as Trump asked the country’s leader to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden, a leading 2020 candidate. 

“He completely denied it. He adamantly denied it. He vehemently, angrily denied it. He said, ‘I’d never do that,'” Johnson said. 

He continued to defend Trump by saying that “the press is horribly biased.” 

“I understand that the way to avoid answering a question is to attack us in the press,” Todd responded.{mosads}

President Trump weighed in on the contentious exchange in a tweet Sunday evening, blasting Todd for his line of questioning after not “getting the answers he was looking for in order to make me look as bad as possible.”

Sleepy Eyes Chuck Todd of “Meet the Press” had a total meltdown in his interview with highly reaspected Senator @RonJohnsonWI. Seems that a not very bright Chuck just wasn’t getting the answers he was looking for in order to make me look as bad as possible. I did NOTHING wrong!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 6, 2019

Trump is facing an impeachment inquiry in the House over allegations that he solicited foreign interference to benefit him in the 2020 election. 

A partial memo of a call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky shows Trump asking the foreign leader to investigate Biden. 

Trump has defended his actions as appropriate. Most Republicans have stood by Trump and defended his actions.