Former Fox News Contributor: ‘Trump Idolaters Are Destroying The Network’

Fox News strategic analyst Ralph Peters discusses Benjamin Netanyahu's congressional address on "Hannity" March 3, 2015.
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

A former Fox News contributor who called the network a “propaganda machine for a destructive and ethically ruinous administration” in his resignation letter last week continued his scathing critique in a Washington Post op-ed Friday.

Retired Lt. Col. Ralph Peters reaffirmed in the op-ed that he decided to not renew his contract as Fox News’ strategic analyst due to “the network’s propagandizing for the Trump administration.”

“Today’s Fox prime-time lineup preaches paranoia, attacking processes and institutions vital to our republic and challenging the rule of law,” Peters wrote.

Peters expressed regret for his “error” in “waiting so long to walk away” because he thought he “could make a difference by remaining at Fox and speaking honestly.”

Peters said his troubles with Fox began around Fall 2016 when he was “blocked” from speaking on Russian affairs and the intelligence community — two subjects he said he “could offer real expertise” on.

“I did not hide my views at Fox and, as word spread that I would not unswervingly support President Trump and, worse, that I believed an investigation into Russian interference was essential to our national security,” Peters said.

Peters noted that he was “excluded from segments that touched on Vladimir Putin’s possible influence on an American president, his campaign or his administration.”

In the few months leading up to his resignation, Peters said he became a “disgruntled employee” who “hated walking into the Fox studio.”

Despite his criticism, Peters said that the network “never tried to put words in [his] mouth” nor was he explicitly told he was “taboo on Trump-Putin matters.”

Peters concluded his op-ed by stressing “there are many honorable and talented professionals at the Fox channels” despite how “Trump idolaters and the merrily hypocritical prime-time hosts are destroying the network.”

In an email to TPM Friday, Fox News spokesperson Caley Cronin denied Peters’ allegation that he was “blocked” from discussing certain subjects.

“There is no truth to the notion that Ralph Peters was ‘blocked’ from appearing on the network to talk about the major headlines, including discussing Russia, North Korea and even gun control recently,” Cronin said. “In fact, he appeared across both networks multiple times in just the past three weeks.”

Read Peters’ op-ed in The Post here.

This post has been updated.

Latest Livewire

Notable Replies

  1. I am developing a small amount of respect for Peters. Half a loaf, one might say, but he’s speaking the truth, finally.

  2. Avatar for theod theod says:

    What he says about FOX has been true since it was invented expressly for those sycophantic and idolatrous purposes in 1996. Ailes wanted rightwing propaganda; Murdoch wanted money and influence with power brokers. They both got their way.

  3. You took their money for 10 years and you were a cheerleader for military intervention. No redemption for you, you corrupt fuck.

  4. Fox “News” always was the Republican Party cheerleader. It’s just more obvious now.

  5. “Destroying the network”? Who gives a shit about a TV station. What matters is that they are destroying the FUCKING COUNTRY.

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

127 more replies

Participants

Avatar for valgalky23 Avatar for secular_humanist Avatar for xpurg8d Avatar for littlegirlblue Avatar for ncsteve Avatar for mattinpa Avatar for vonq Avatar for george_spiggott Avatar for sparrowhawk Avatar for serendipitoussomnambulist Avatar for mrf Avatar for darrtown Avatar for tena Avatar for tryingtofigureitallout Avatar for somethinghappened Avatar for katscherger Avatar for maximus Avatar for dannysgrandma Avatar for ohcomeonnow Avatar for bcgister Avatar for kenga Avatar for holywah Avatar for rascal_crone Avatar for progressiveheart

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: