The conservative video-bloggers’ status at the network is unclear.
President Donald Trump with Lynette 'Diamond' Hardaway and Rochelle 'Silk' Richardson during a news conference at the White House on Feb. 27. | Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
By QUINT FORGEY 04/28/2020
President Donald Trump on Tuesday voiced his support for conservative video-bloggers Diamond and Silk, the pro-Trump duo who have promoted coronavirus conspiracy theories and been absent from their usual Fox News appearances.
“Haters keep saying they hate Diamond and Silk, but you can’t hate what you ain’t never loved!” the sisters, whose real names are Lynnette Hardaway and Rochelle Richardson, wrote on their shared Twitter account Monday evening.
Trump shared that message Tuesday morning, writing online: “But I love Diamond & Silk, and so do millions of people!”
The president’s social media post came after CNN reported Saturday that Fox Nation, Fox News’ digital streaming service, had not uploaded a new episode of Diamond and Silk’s weekly show since April 7, and they had not appeared on the network’s broadcast since March.
Diamond and Silk, who have spoken at Trump rallies and are regulars on Fox News’ “Fox & Friends” morning show, have propagated various baseless coronavirus claims over the past month as the outbreak ravaged the United States. A Fox News spokeswoman did not immediately return a request for comment on their status with the company.
Although Fox News retains a stable of pro-Trump commentators, the president has grown increasingly frustrated with the network, despite its opinion hosts’ almost unflinchingly positive coverage of his administration.
“.@FoxNews just doesn’t get what’s happening! They are being fed Democrat talking points, and they play them without hesitation or research,” Trump wrote in a multi-part Twitter screed Sunday.
Diamond and Silk out at Fox News after they claimed coronavirus death toll is fabricated to hurt Trump: report
April 27, 2020 By Matthew Chapman
On Monday, The Daily Beast reported that Fox News is cutting ties with right-wing video-blogging duo Diamond and Silk, after they used their platform to promote conspiracy theories about the coronavirus pandemic.
“After rising to prominence during the 2016 election, Lynette ‘Diamond’ Hardaway and Rochelle ‘Silk’ Richardson leveraged their newfound celebrity into regular sycophantic appearances on Fox News, resulting in President Donald Trump raving about their performances, featuring them at rallies, and treating them as ‘senior advisers,'” reported Lachlan Cartwright and Justin Baragona. “The social-media personalities were eventually tapped to provide weekly videos for Fox Nation after it launched as a subscription-based online video network. Their episodes, essentially 5-7 minute distillations of their freeform live-streams, appeared like clockwork on the streaming service until earlier this month.”
“Diamond & Silk have used their heavy social-media presence to be at the forefront of right-wing misinformation about the COVID-19 outbreak,” continued the report. “For instance, during their March 30 livestream, the duo claimed that the number of American coronavirus deaths has been inflated to make Trump look bad.” Diamond proclaimed “Where are the bodies?” and speculated the virus could be being “deliberately spread.” Silk has also suggested the virus could be a bioweapon manufactured by the “deep state.”
Fox News has been struggling for weeks to balance the pressures of right-wing allies of Trump who want to spread counternarratives on the pandemic, and the necessity to provide accurate public health information.
Recently, Fox Business host Trish Regan was cut after calling the pandemic an “impeachment scam.” However, some major Fox hosts who have sought to downplay the virus, like Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham, are still employed.
April 27, 2020 By Matthew Chapman
On Monday, right-wing vloggers Diamond and Silk were reportedly ousted as Fox News contributors after promoting a series of conspiracy theories about the coronavirus pandemic.
Commenters on social media had a number of reactions — including to ask why the president of the United States was not being held to the same standard — or, for that matter, higher-ranking TV personalities at Fox.
Fox News has reportedly canned controversial personalities Diamond & Silk aka Rock & Burlap. I never rejoice in anyone’s termination, however these Trump-loving siblings have been pushing some dangerous #coronavirus conspiracy theories. https://t.co/yItD2oPftD #DiamondandSilk
— AprilDRyan (@AprilDRyan) April 27, 2020
Congrats to new OAN hosts Diamond & Silk. https://t.co/c8rKguotYF
— Daniel W. Drezner (@dandrezner) April 27, 2020
FOX just fired Diamond & Silk for promoting disinformation about Covid-19.
Because Diamond and Silk are held to a higher standard than, y’know, America’s president.
— John Fugelsang (@JohnFugelsang) April 27, 2020
I mean think what kind of unhinged grifters you’d have to be for Fox News to nope out https://t.co/iXVCIL5O8Z
— shauna (@goldengateblond) April 27, 2020
Getting fired from Fox for espousing dangerous, unfounded theories about the coronavirus largely seems to depend on how big a star you are and how big your platform is.
Trish Regan, Diamond & Silk are small potatoes that don’t bring in many viewers, thus are easier to cut. https://t.co/kb2isTn7Kc
— Nathan McDermott (@natemcdermott) April 27, 2020
Was what Trish Regan said much different than what Sean Hannity has said? No, not really.
Is what Diamond & Silk have been saying much different than what Tucker Carlson or Laura Ingraham have said on their shows? No, not really.
— Parker Molloy (@ParkerMolloy) April 27, 2020
Diamond & Silk “argued that the number of American coronavirus deaths has been inflated to make Trump look bad” on their livestream
So did Fox host Tucker Carlson and senior political analyst Brit Hume on Carlson’s Fox News show! https://t.co/pPsa8lHKgG
— Matthew Gertz (@MattGertz) April 27, 2020
On Monday, right-wing vloggers Diamond and Silk were reportedly ousted as Fox News contributors after promoting a series of conspiracy theories about the coronavirus pandemic.
Commenters on social media had a number of reactions — including to ask why the president of the United States was not being held to the same standard — or, for that matter, higher-ranking TV personalities at Fox.
Fox News has reportedly canned controversial personalities Diamond & Silk aka Rock & Burlap. I never rejoice in anyone’s termination, however these Trump-loving siblings have been pushing some dangerous #coronavirus conspiracy theories. https://t.co/yItD2oPftD #DiamondandSilk
— AprilDRyan (@AprilDRyan) April 27, 2020
Congrats to new OAN hosts Diamond & Silk. https://t.co/c8rKguotYF
— Daniel W. Drezner (@dandrezner) April 27, 2020
FOX just fired Diamond & Silk for promoting disinformation about Covid-19.
Because Diamond and Silk are held to a higher standard than, y’know, America’s president.
— John Fugelsang (@JohnFugelsang) April 27, 2020
I mean think what kind of unhinged grifters you’d have to be for Fox News to nope out https://t.co/iXVCIL5O8Z
— shauna (@goldengateblond) April 27, 2020
Getting fired from Fox for espousing dangerous, unfounded theories about the coronavirus largely seems to depend on how big a star you are and how big your platform is.
Trish Regan, Diamond & Silk are small potatoes that don’t bring in many viewers, thus are easier to cut. https://t.co/kb2isTn7Kc
— Nathan McDermott (@natemcdermott) April 27, 2020
Was what Trish Regan said much different than what Sean Hannity has said? No, not really.
Is what Diamond & Silk have been saying much different than what Tucker Carlson or Laura Ingraham have said on their shows? No, not really.
— Parker Molloy (@ParkerMolloy) April 27, 2020
Diamond & Silk “argued that the number of American coronavirus deaths has been inflated to make Trump look bad” on their livestream
So did Fox host Tucker Carlson and senior political analyst Brit Hume on Carlson’s Fox News show! https://t.co/pPsa8lHKgG
— Matthew Gertz (@MattGertz) April 27, 2020
No comments:
Post a Comment