OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Donald Trump unleashed his characteristic fury on a liberal Fox News co-host after she was critical of classified documents he kept at his Mar-a-Lago residence until the FBI raided him in August.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, the former president riffed on “The Five” personality Jessica Tarlov, accusing her of spewing “knowingly wrong” information while also describing her voice as “grating and unendurable,” according to Newsweek.
Tarlov’s criticism came after a tense back-and-forth with co-host Jeanne Pirro over classified documents recently found at President Joe Biden’s Wilmington, Del., residence and also at a Penn Biden Center office in Washington, D.C., last November that he used prior to winning the 2020 election.
“REVIEW: I really like The Five on FoxNews, especially the hosts, with the exception of wacky Jessica Tarlov, who is absolutely terrible,” Trump, formerly the host of the once-popular show “The Apprentice,” wrote.
“Her facts are knowingly wrong, her jittery presentation is horrendous and, forgive me, her VOICE is grating and unendurable. Juan Williams was terrible, but better than her. I know the show is doing well, but no thanks to Jessica. I find her impossible to take in large doses, & put out this ‘REVIEW’ because it is important to expose Fake News, & Fake People!” he added.
The liberal co-host argued that Trump’s case was worse because he risked having classified docs exposed due to his frequent parties and events held at his residence, though Trump has said the documents were locked in a storage area and guarded.
“Mar-a-Lago is a place where there are people being entertained. There are parties there every single night, and that was cause for concern about how things were being kept,” Tarlov said.
“I understand that Hunter Biden is a big party animal, but it’s not the same thing. President Trump is in a tuxedo all the time, entertaining tons of foreign nationals.”
Pirro responded by asking Tarlov if she’d ever been to Trump’s residence, to which she replied she is “not invited.” The former judge replied, “so then don’t assume what you don’t know,” then demanded, “don’t point your finger” as Tarlov continued to make her argument, Newsweek noted.
Earlier this month, classified documents were found being stored in boxes in the garage of President Joe Biden’s Wilmington, Del. home after a previous trove of documents were discovered last fall in a private Washington, D.C. office he used at the Penn Biden Center.
Democrats have increasingly voiced support for a wider probe into Biden’s document stashes.
“The reports about President Biden’s mishandling of classified documents are extremely irresponsible and disturbing. These allegations should be investigated fully,” West Virginia Democrat Sen. Joe Manchin said to Fox News.
“This news raises serious questions and the appointment of an unbiased special prosecutor to investigate the matter is the right step,” Virginia Democrat Sen. Tim Kaine, who announced his bid for reelection last week, said to Fox News.
Rep. Katie Porter, who has announced her bid for Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s Senate seat, also demanded answers.
“Classified documents belong in classified settings, and I think you heard me say oversight is not a partisan thing. Good oversight means you’re willing to hold any rule breaker to account,” she said to Fox News. “We should be asking for answers in a respectful way, and we should be expecting to get honest ones.”
“Well, it’s certainly embarrassing. Right?” retiring Democrat Michigan Sen. Debbie Stabenow said last week in an interview with NBC News. “I mean, it’s embarrassing that you would find a small number of documents, certainly not on purpose. They don’t think it’s the right thing and they’ve been moving to correct it, working with the Department of Justice, working with everyone involved, with the [National] Archives, and so from my perspective, you know, it’s one of those moments that obviously they wish hadn’t happened.”
Last week, the FBI conducted a search of Biden’s home and found more classified documents that previously discovered.
“DOJ took possession of materials it deemed within the scope of its inquiry, including six items consisting of documents with classification markings and surrounding materials, some of which were from the President’s service in the Senate and some of which were from his tenure as Vice President. DOJ also took for further review personally handwritten notes from the vice-presidential years,” the president’s personal attorney said.
