Fox News’ Shepard Smith alleged that President Trump “did what he’s accused of doing” when he publicly asked the Chinese government to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter.
Trump told reporters that the Ukrainian government “should investigate the Bidens because how does a company that’s newly formed and all these companies, if you look — by the way, likewise, China should start an investigation into the Bidens.” The remarks come as an impeachment inquiry is underway into an identical request the president made to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in July.
Smith began his show on Thursday by addressing the president’s request.
“The president asked Ukraine and China to investigate his political rival on television for all the world to hear,” he said. “Fox News knows of no federal investigation of his rival for any violations of any American law. If it is determined that the president made that request to help his campaign for reelection, President Trump may have violated federal law. It is illegal to ask a foreign national or foreign country for any political assistance.”
Smith also noted that the president mentioned the upcoming trade negotiations scheduled for next week with China prior to requesting they look into the Bidens.
He concluded his opening monologue by saying, “Today, the president did exactly what he’s accused of doing. This time on live television. And this time, he asked the totalitarian government of China to investigate as well ahead of trade talks scheduled for next week.”