Fox’s Hemmer defends NBC’s Welker after Trump camp’s ‘activist’ accusation: ‘She’s a reporter’

Fox News anchor Bill Hemmer defended NBC News correspondent Kristen Welker during an interview Thursday after Trump campaign senior adviser Mercedes Schlapp called Welker “a bit of an activist.”

The defense came on “Bill Hemmer Reports” after the anchor asked Schlapp if President Trump will directly challenge Welker, the moderator of Thursday night’s presidential debate, after he recently accused the NBC White House correspondent of being “terrible and unfair.”

“We’ll see what happens. What we know about the moderator is she’s a bit of an activist and we want a fair debate. We want the tough questions to come up both sides,” Schlapp replied.

“Sorry, she’s a reporter. She’s a reporter. She’s not an activist,” Hemmer responded.

“Well, if you would consider she worked for NBC and she worked for MSNBC, which I would say is not necessarily fair and balanced like other stations that we know,” replied Schlapp.

Hemmer pushed back, noting that Welker “covers the White House.”

“Yes, she does. But she’s been highly critical of the president. But regardless, this president is ready. He is prepared to answer the tough questions and he’s gonna ask the tough questions on Joe Biden and his dealings with Hunter Biden,” Schlapp responded.

The Trump campaign complained to the Commission on Presidential Debates earlier this week about the topics chosen by Welker for the debate.

Topics chosen by Welker and announced last week include fighting the coronavirus pandemic, American families, race in America, climate change, national security and leadership.

Campaign manager Bill Stepien arguing the commission should observe “long-standing custom” by making foreign policy the central focus of Thursday’s debate.