During an interview with former President Donald Trump, Fox News host Harris Faulkner mistakenly reported what would have been a major development in the Biden administration’s handling of the situation at the southern border — then quickly had to walk it back on live TV.
Faulkner interrupted Trump on Monday as she mistakenly reported that Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas had resigned.
“I want to double-check this with our producers, the DHS secretary, Alejandro Mayorkas, has resigned,” she said.
Trump responded, “Well, I’m not surprised. Good. That’s a big victory for our country.”
Just seconds later, Harris said, “Hold on… let me stop. Let me listen to my team one more time. Forgive me. That has not happened. And I apologize, listening to the team and you.”
“Oh, OK. Cross off that victory,” Trump said with a chuckle.
She went to say that Trump has called for Mayorkas’ resignation.
Watch the video below:
Fox News' Harris Faulkner just asked former President Trump to respond to the news that DSH Secretary Mayorkas had resigned, but she then almost immediately issued a correction because that hasn't happened. pic.twitter.com/zOOh2Feii9
— Mike Brest (@MikeBrestDC) March 22, 2021
A Fox News spokesperson later told IJR in a statement, “The error stemmed from an audio issue in a virtual working environment. We corrected the mistake and continued on with the interview.”
The moment came after Trump released a statement blasting the Biden administration’s handling of the surge of migrants at the southern border.
In the statement, Trump claimed that Mayorkas, who oversees the departments in charge of securing the border, is “incapable of leading DHS.”
Faulkner also noted that former presidents traditionally do not speak out to criticize the current occupant of the White House. She asked, “Most ex-presidents do not weigh in at this level. Why did you feel like you needed to?”
“You called me. I didn’t call you, in all fairness,” he said.
However, Faulkner noted once again that he released a statement blasting the Biden administration.
“The reason I weigh in is very simple because they’re destroying our country,” Trump said, adding, “They are destroying our country, and they’re going to destroy it with tax increases, the likes of which nobody has ever seen before, in order to accomplish the Green New Deal nonsense.”
FAULKNER: Most ex-presidents do not weigh in at this level. Why did you feel like you needed to?
— August Takala (@RudyTakala) March 22, 2021
TRUMP: You called me, in all fairness. I didn't call you. pic.twitter.com/DMfQeb44XB
Faulkner responded, “We did call you and we’re glad you did.”