Geraldo Rivera, a longtime television personality, recently revealed in an interview with The New York Times that he ended his relationship with former President Donald Trump after refusing to support his election fraud theories. Rivera expressed regret over the falling out, stating, “I feel awful that he made me dump him.”
Rivera recounted his final interactions with Trump, which occurred just 10 days after the 2020 election. According to Rivera, Trump called him and asked if he was familiar with Dominion Voting Systems, a voting machine company that Trump alleged played a role in overturning the election in President Joe Biden’s favor. Trump requested that Rivera investigate the election allegations and report back to him. However, after reaching out to sources who confirmed that Dominion was not involved in election interference, Rivera called Trump back on November 16 to share his findings. Unfortunately, Trump did not answer the call, and the two have not spoken since.
Once considered a staunch ally of Trump, Rivera gradually became critical of the former president and his efforts to overturn the election results. Following the January 6th Capitol riot, Rivera publicly called for Trump’s impeachment, accusing him of inciting the violent attack. Last fall, Rivera also expressed his disapproval of Trump’s election claims, describing them as “shameful.”
In his interview with The New York Times, Rivera referred to Trump as “crazy, really crazy” and claimed that the former president was both underrated and over-prosecuted. Rivera’s shift in stance towards Trump ultimately led to his departure from Fox News. In June, he was fired from “The Five,” a leading daytime show on the network, where he frequently engaged in debates with more conservative or pro-Trump members. Although the network offered him the opportunity to create documentaries, Rivera chose to resign, stating, “I cashed their checks for 22 years.”
The Hill reached out to Trump’s spokespeople for comment on Rivera’s statements, but there has been no response as of yet.
In conclusion, Geraldo Rivera spoke out about his severed ties with former President Donald Trump, expressing regret over their falling out. Rivera’s refusal to support Trump’s election fraud theories and his subsequent criticism of the former president’s actions led to their estrangement. Despite their once-close relationship, Rivera now characterizes Trump as “crazy” and believes he has been unfairly targeted. This shift in perspective ultimately resulted in Rivera’s departure from Fox News.
Original Story at thehill.com – 2023-08-31 18:54:00
