Q: Is Fox News Channel anchor Shepard Smith being fired because of “his hate” for President Trump?
A: No. That debunked claim has been circulating online since last year.
FULL ANSWER
Longtime Fox News anchor Shepard Smith wasn’t fired from the network in 2017, as some dubious websites claimed at the time. He also wasn’t terminated at any point this year, as reports recycling the falsehood, and shared on Facebook, have stated.
“BREAKING: Shep Smith To Be Canned Because He Can’t Control His Hate For Donald Trump,” reads the headline posted in recent days on donaldtrumpforusa.com and NewsTodayInUsaUpdate, a website powered by the blogging platform blogspot.com.
That false headline prompted applause in some circles on Facebook, including on the page of a group called DRAIN THE SWAMP.
“GREAT !! GET RID OF HIM ASAP!!!” one user wrote.
Some Fox News viewers have grown frustrated by Smith, whose reporting has at times been critical of President Trump and conservatives. But the cable channel has denied the persistent rumors of Smith being fired.
Fox News directed us to previous statements, including one in a February Associated Press report in which a network spokeswoman called Smith’s supposed termination “completely false.”
In reality, Fox News announced in March that Smith had signed a “multiyear deal” to stay with the network. In a statement, Fox News Executive Chairman Rupert Murdoch praised the anchor, who has been with the network for more than two decades.
“Shepard Smith is an exemplary journalist whose skill in anchoring breaking news is unrivaled,” Murdoch said in the announcement. “His powerful storytelling on both television and digital platforms has elevated our entire news gathering process.”
Editor’s note: FactCheck.org is one of several organizations working with Facebook to debunk false stories shared on the social media network.
Sources
“BREAKING: Shep Smith To Be Canned Because He Can’t Control His Hate For Donald Trump.” Donaldtrumpforusa.com. 10 Jun 2018.
“Fox News Channel Re-Signs Shepard Smith to Multiyear Deal.” Press Release, Fox News. Mar 2018.
“Fox News Channel says Shepard Smith has not been fired.” Associated Press. 26 Feb 2018.
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