Fox News
- Fox News hosts were among the critics of Trump’s impeachment attorney Bruce Castor.
- GOP Trump allies were quick to attack Castor’s opening statement in the Senate trial.
- Castor’s remarks were meandering and off-point, reportedly infuriating Trump too.
- Visit the Business section of Insider for more stories.
Donald Trump’s allies at Fox News were aghast at the opening performance by his attorney Bruce Castor in the former president’s second impeachment trial.
They joined senior Republicans and other critics in rounding on Castor’s widely panned speech on the first day of the trial, which some said seemed like it was improvised.
According to reports, Trump himself, watching the trial from his post-white House home in Florida, was enraged by the performance.
Sean Hannity, a friend and informal advisor to Trump who has used to his show to advocate for his policies, interviewed Castor’s fellow impeachment defense attorney, David Schoen, on his show Tuesday night and pressed him on Castor’s presentation.
—Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) February 10, 2021
“A lot of criticism of the opening, not your part in particular, but it seemed to be free-associating, extemporaneous, somewhat meandering,” Hannity said to Schoen.
Schoen defended his colleague, telling Hannity that Castor had not planned on delivering opening remarks and that "I'm sure they will be very well prepared in the future and do a great job in the case."
When Hannity later handed over to Laura Ingraham, another prominent Trump ally on the network, the two hosts mocked Castor.
"A little meandering, a little free-associative," Hannity said of Castor's arguments.
Ingraham was more forthright: "Well, it was terrible."
"You're way too charitable," Ingraham told Hannity.