Donald Trump’s ‘Panicked’ Fox News Interview Mocked by Critics

Former President Donald Trump participated in a live interview on Fox News following Vice President Kamala Harris’ acceptance of the Democratic nomination last night, with some critics characterizing the GOP nominee as sounding “panicked.”

On Thursday, Trump wrote nearly three dozen live posts on Truth Social during Harris’ speech at the Democratic National Convention (DNC), providing counter-narratives and questions to Harris’ remarks. Following her speech’s conclusion, he called into Fox News for a 10-minute interview to provide his reaction.

In the phone interview, Trump said his “biggest reaction was why didn’t she do the things that she’s complaining about” while serving as vice president in the Biden administration. “She could have done all of these things, and she could still do them,” he added. “She’s got four and a half, five months left.”

During his response, several audible beeps were heard, likely from accidentally pressing buttons on his phone. The former president also discussed policy differences between the two candidates, particularly regarding the economy and the U.S.-Mexico border, and refuted Harris’ claim that Project 2025 outlines “what a second Trump term would look like.” Trump told Fox News, “I haven’t even seen it, I don’t want to see it.”

About seven minutes into his response, Martha MacCallum attempted to interject to redirect the conversation. A minute-and-a-half later, Bret Baier also tried to stop Trump’s ongoing response.

Some critics, including journalist Lois Romano, called the former president’s interview “panicked,” particularly regarding the phone button noises, while others noted that Trump’s responses rambled.

ist Justin Baragona commented on the segment where Baier tried to interject, saying, “This might be the funniest thing I’ve ever seen. Trump called into Fox News to rage about Kamala’s speech, only to be cut off by Bret Baier so they could get to [Greg] Gutfeld’s show.”

Acyn, senior editor at the left-leaning MeidasTouch, posted a segment of the interview that features some of the phone beeps on X, formerly Twitter, writing, “Trump is so rattled that he keeps hitting the buttons on his phone while he’s talking.”

The post has nearly 2 million views as of Friday afternoon, with many Trump critics sharing it and adding laughing emojis.

Comedian Jay Black captioned the video, “Understandable. He just saw his chance at the presidency disappear the same way he does when Eric comes over.”

Chris Nelson, a conservative writer and candidate for mayor in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, who describes himself as a “proud Reagan Republican,” posted the video with multiple laughing emojis mocking Trump.

The Tennessee Holler, a progressive news site, shared the video, and wrote, “The buttons..the buttons.. Come for the lies, stay for the buttons.”

Newsweek has reached out to Trump’s campaign for comment via email on Friday.

Trump posted his Fox News interview on his Truth Social account, receiving over 2,800 shares and almost 12,000 likes.

In the interview, he objected to Harris polling well among women, Hispanic, and Black voters, saying, “She’s not having success; I’m having success…I’m doing great with the Hispanic voters, doing great with Black men, I’m doing great with women.”

Shortly after, he joined Newsmax for a phone interview, saying Harris’ speech was “very non-specific.”