Even Fox is disgusted by Trump covering for his abusive former staffer.
The Rob Porter domestic abuse scandal has been so damaging to Trump that even his most loyal propaganda arm is pressing him to speak out on behalf of women.
After a weekend of administration officials failing miserably at cleaning up after Trump's defense of his former aide and smearing of domestic violence victims, deputy White House press secretary Hogan Gidley probably thought he would have an easier time of it on "Fox & Friends," Trump's favorite Fox show, which has ignored the story.
But things took a turn when co-host Brian Kilmeade brought up reporting that Trump has been privately slamming Porter while defending him publicly.
"Why won't he said that publicly, or do you think Jonathan Swan is wrong?" Kilmeade asked.
"Well, I don't know if he is going to say that publicly or not," Gidley responded, and ran through a short stack of Trump administration excuses.
Gidley claimed that Trump "has been very clear, that all forms of abuse, all forms of battery against women are horrible and disgusting."
"But he hasn't said that," Kilmeade interjected.
"Right, you haven't talked to him today," Gidley said, claiming Trump has "said that multiple times in the past" and that Trump finds such behavior "disgusting."
Co-host Ainsley Earhardt also pressed Gidley on Trump's silence about domestic abuse victims.
"Hogan, will you and Sarah Huckabee Sanders, will y'all get together and advise him and talk about this is an opportunity when can he come out against domestic violence," Earhardt said. "I mean, those pictures are horrific." Earhardt was referencing graphic photographs released by Porter's ex-wife Colbie Holderness, showing a black eye she says he gave her during a vacation in 2005.
Gidley again falsely claimed that Trump condemns domestic violence all the time but that he did not condemn such behavior last week because he was specifically asked about Porter whom he defended at length Friday.
Trump has sided with domestic abusers and other predators, and against women, time after time. Trump has issued only three written statements on domestic violence to launch existing awareness campaigns, but he has no record of publicly speaking on the issue, other than to smear women as liars.
Gidley's remarks tease the possibility that Trump may attempt to "fix" this damaging debacle today with a general condemnation of domestic violence, in much the same way that he paid forced lip service to denouncing white supremacy after he bungled the response to Charlottesville.
But any statement would be far too late. Trump has made it painfully clear that he stands with predators and abusers, not women.
