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WASHINGTON – The White House struck back at Fox News on Wednesday over an onscreen message that described President Joe Biden as a “wannabe dictator” by jabbing the broadcaster over its recent $787 million settlement with Dominion Voting Systems.
The onscreen message, or chyron, appeared briefly Tuesday night beneath split-screen footage of Biden delivering remarks at the White House and former President Donald Trump speaking to supporters in New Jersey following his arraignment a few hours earlier in Florida.
The message read: “Wannabe dictator speaks at the White House after having his political rival arrested.”
Asked about the message on Wednesday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre responded by making a veiled reference to Fox’s settlement with Dominion.
“There are probably about 787 million things that I can say about this,” she said. “That was wrong what we saw last night, but I don’t think I’m going to get into it.”
Asked if her response should be interpreted as no comment, Jean-Pierre responded, “I think I just commented.”
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Fox agreed to pay Dominion $787.5 million in April to settle the voting machine company’s lawsuit over the network promoting lies about the 2020 presidential election. Dominion had sued Fox for $1.6 billion, arguing that the news outlet had damaged its reputation by peddling phony conspiracy theories claiming its equipment switched votes from Trump to Biden.
The settlement was reached just as a jury in the case had been seated and opening statements were to begin.
The “wannabe dictator” message directed at Biden appeared on screen just a few hours after Trump pleaded not guilty in Miami to 37 federal charges related to his alleged mishandling of classified documents sized from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach. Afterward, Trump traveled back to his golf club in Bedminster, N.J., where he made public remarks addressing his indictment and arraignment.
A Fox News spokesperson said the message “was taken down immediately and was addressed.”
The spokesperson did not respond to questions about who was responsible for the message or how it was addressed.
Trump has argued that the charges against him are politically motivated. The White House has said Biden has had no contact with Attorney General Merrick Garland about the indictment, which resulted from an investigation by special counsel Jack Smith.
Biden has not commented publicly on the investigation.
Michael Collins covers the White House. Follow him on Twitter @mcollinsNEWS.
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