Fox News weekend anchor Leland Vittert, 36, engaged in a hostile, physically aggressive interview Saturday with Trump administration trade adviser Peter Navarro, 70, about China trade and tariff policies, such that Navarro raised his hands, leaned backward and inched his chair away as if in fear of Vittert smacking him. At another point Navarro again raised his hands and told Vittert to back off, with Vittert mockingly asking if he should roll back off the set.
Vittert was physically aggressive at the outset of the five-minute interview: Leaning in, extending his arms and hands toward Navarro–at times jabbing his index finger and a pen aggressively at Navarro. Vittert reached out his hand at Navarro and mocked him for demurring on responsibility for China trade policy to President Trump and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer.
As the interview went on, Vittert would at times repeatedly interrupt Navarro while other times he would let Navarro finish a sentence or two. But toward the end Vittert got increasingly hostile.
Videos below:
Excerpt:
#WhatIAmWatching TV 📺Leland Vittert interviews White House Trade Advisor Dr. Peter Navarro on the morning of August 9, 2019
Full Clip 👉 https://t.co/SZklvTiRHT pic.twitter.com/HNTwft5y1w— COACHELLA VALLEY (@COACHELLAEVENTS) August 10, 2019
Excerpt of the end of the interview where Vittert smirks after being called out by Navarro and Vittert cuts off the interview after Navarro complains about being interrupted “thirty times” by Vittert.
Fox Anchor Leland Vittert spars with White House Trade Adviser Peter Navarro.
Navarro: "This hostility is puzzling to me."
Vittert: "This isn't hostile sir. I'm not sure your interested in an interview, but typically people ask questions and they get an answer." pic.twitter.com/orcrRPnSg7
— Contemptor (@TheContemptor) August 10, 2019
Complete interview posted to YouTube by a viewer:
Vittert, along with Arthel Neville, were called out for their liberal-biased reporting by President Trump last March.
Were @FoxNews weekend anchors, @ArthelNeville and @LelandVittert, trained by CNN prior to their ratings collapse? In any event, that’s where they should be working, along with their lowest rated anchor, Shepard Smith!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 17, 2019
Navarro’s official title is: Assistant to the President, and Director of Trade and Manufacturing Policy.
