Despite Fox News Chairman and CEO Roger Ailes’ peace-making efforts with Donald Trump, the Republican presidential candidate is back on the warpath against the network.
Trump zeroed in on Fox host Bill O’Reilly on Twitter Monday evening for hosting guests who are critical of him -- particularly National Review’s Rich Lowry, who slammed the reality TV star’s habit of saying he has a plan for something but declining to reveal what it is.
On Tuesday’s episode of the "Today" show, O’Reilly -- who was promoting his latest book, Killing Reagan -- responded to the criticism, stressing Trump’s role as an entertainer.
"I think this is just an extension of his reality show, 'The Apprentice,'" O’Reilly said. "This is just theater right now. He gets a lot of attention from the theater."
The Fox News host also suggested Twitter spelled trouble for the candidate.
"I’ve known Trump a long time; he wants people to like him," he said. "When people criticize him, he takes it personally, and then you know this machine, this tweeting thing. That’s the worst thing you can give Donald Trump, is this tweeting thing."
Still, O’Reilly does understand Trump's appeal -- he’s a "nonpolitician in a country that’s really in trouble" -- and thinks he’s been good for our political discourse.
"I think Trump has been good for politics in America," he said. "He has engaged people. He has forced people to pay attention."
