In a scathing critique on MSNBC, former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) accused Fox News anchor Sean Hannity of consistently shielding former President Donald Trump from accountability, particularly regarding his statements and actions after the events of January 6. According to Cheney, Hannity is well aware of the dangers posed by Trump, and she points to text messages exchanged between Hannity and former White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany on January 7 as evidence.
. @Liz_Cheney : “You can’t both be for Donald Trump and for the Constitution.” pic.twitter.com/Stz5UDfjpV
— Republican Accountability (@AccountableGOP) December 3, 2023
“First of all, Sean Hannity… knew at the time—we have the text messages between Sean and Kayleigh McEnany on January 7,” Cheney revealed. “They knew how dangerous Trump was after January 6. They were trying to isolate him. They were trying to land the plane. They knew the country was in danger, and Donald Trump was the source of that danger. Sean Hannity knew,” reports Raw S tory. Cheney emphasized Hannity’s repeated attempts to provide Trump with an escape route from controversial statements, citing their recent town hall in Iowa as an example. During the event, Hannity tried to allow Trump to deny reports of him working toward a dictatorship, but Trump failed to give a clear answer.
WATCH: Liz Cheney encourages citizens to “come together across party lines to stop Donald Trump.” pic.twitter.com/hLGjrpj9Zs
— The Beat with Ari Melber 📺 (@TheBeatWithAri) December 7, 2023
“He has several times tried to bail Donald Trump out when he said something or suggested something illegal and completely beyond the bounds.” Cheney continued, “He did it again last night, and Donald Trump won’t deny he has plans like the ones we have been discussing.” Cheney stressed the importance of taking Trump’s statements seriously and literally, cautioning against becoming desensitized to his outrageous remarks. She urged Americans, voters, and citizens not to dismiss Trump’s words, highlighting the severity of the situation.
Trump a few days back attacked Cheney in a fiery social media post. He wrote, “Crazy Liz Cheney, who suffers from Trump Derangement Syndrome at a level rarely seen before,” and disputed claims made in her upcoming book, Oath and Honor, HuffPost reports. The book recounts an exchange between Cheney and Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), where McCarthy visited Trump at Mar-a-Lago following the 2021 Capitol riot. Trump ridiculed Cheney’s portrayal of the visit, rejecting McCarthy’s claim that he went to Mar-a-Lago because Trump was not eating. According to Trump, he was angry, not depressed, and his eating habits were not a cause for concern. Trump also asserted that McCarthy’s purpose was to seek support and unite the Republican Party.
“Liz Cheney, on the other hand, went on to lose her seat in Congress by the largest margin for a sitting Congressperson in the history of the U.S. She then worked with others on the J6 Committee to delete and destroy the evidence and findings of the committee,” Trump concluded with this in his post. The exchange between Cheney and Hannity highlights the ongoing tension within the Republican Party regarding the events of January 6 and Trump’s role in them.