Fox News’ Geraldo Rivera says he ‘could never support’ Trump again
Rivera likened election deniers to suicide cultists worshipping Mr Trump
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Fox News correspondent Geraldo Rivera has said in no unclear terms that he is over former President Donald Trump.
Mr Rivera made a statement on Twitter on Wednesday lamenting the state of US democracy and placing the blame solely at the former president's feet.
"Election Deniers depress me," he wrote. "I blame President Trump for his shameful campaign to slander and undermine American faith in our elections."
The Fox News regular is one of a few on the network to question Mr Trump's actions on moral grounds, and has been critical of the former president for several years. He said on Wednesday that he could never support Mr Trump again.
"For all his positive accomplishments, and there are many, I could never support him again," he wrote. "Without fealty to the Constitution, we’re [second] rate."
The reporter's admission was largely met with scorn in the replies, as he has cultivated a largely conservative fan base during his time with Fox News. Many told him they — nor Mr Trump — cared who he supported.
Others, including conservative influencers, pointed out that Democrats like Hillary Clinton and Stacey Abrams have questioned elections in the past and that he should include them in his ire. Other users tried to downplay those instances of election denial by pointing out that a violent mob never attempted an insurrection to install Ms Clinton into the Oval Office.
It wasn't the first time in recent days that Mr Rivera has expressed his lack of faith in Mr Trump.
On 4 September, he sympathised with former Attorney General Bill Barr, who he claims "lost faith" in Mr Trump after he began espousing election denial lies.
"[Former] AG Bill Barr saved the Trump presidency when he vouched for the nothing-ness of the Russia Russia Conspiracy Hoax. He saw the scandal as a device to cripple Trump and drive him from office," Mr Rivera wrote. "After POTUS launched toxic election denialism, Barr lost faith. He was right again. "
Last month, Mr Rivera compared Mr Trump's loyal supporters to suicide cultists in a response to Democratic strategist James Carville calling election deniers "stupid."
“James Carville is wrong. Trump does rule the GOP. Many, if not most Republicans believe Trump was robbed in 2020. That doesn’t make them ignorant or racist,” Mr Rivera replied. “It makes them disappointing. They’re drunk on Trump Koolaid, and either don’t believe he lost, or worse, don’t care.”
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