Dump Election Recall Rhetoric, Reported Texts Show

Topline

Fox News host Sean Hannity regularly planned talking points for his show and discussed efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results with former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, according to text messages obtained by CNN, but became increasingly frustrated with the Trump team’s efforts and ultimately advised the ex-president to never talk about the 2020 election again.

In this August 7, 2019, photo, Fox News host Sean Hannity speaks during a taping of his show, … [+] “Hannity,” in New York.

Frank Franklin II/ASSOCIATED PRESS

Key Facts

Hannity and Meadows exchanged more than 80 texts between Election Day and President Joe Biden’s inauguration, according to CNN, which show Hannity initially very supportive of strategies to overturn the election.

Hannity reportedly told Meadows on November 29 that Biden’s win was “mathematically impossible,” but added that Trump’s team desperately needed “a major breakthrough, a video, something” to back up fraud claims.

The Fox News host became increasingly frustrated as time passed, lamenting that former President Donald Trump’s legal strategy was relying heavily on unfounded conspiracy theories, reportedly telling Meadows on December 22: “You fighting is fine” but the “fing lunatics,” he wrote, “are NOT helping him.”

On January 5, Hannity reportedly expressed concern about plans for Vice President Mike Pence to somehow block the certification of Biden’s win, telling Meadows: “Im very worried about the next 48 hours. Pence pressure,” though it’s not clear if he expected Pence to go through with calls to overturn the election.

Hannity texted Meadows several days after Trump supporters stormed the Capitol on January 6, saying he spoke with Trump and told him: “He can’t mention the election again. Ever,” according to CNN.

Crucial Quote

“I did not have a good call with him today,” Hannity reportedly texted Meadows after January 6. “And worse, I’m not sure what is left to do or say, and I don’t like not knowing if it’s truly understood. Ideas?”

Contra

Trump has ignored Hannity’s advice, choosing instead to send out statements on a near-daily basis for more than a year falsely claiming that widespread fraud had cost him the election.

Surprising Fact

The texts also showed Hannity took jabs at his own network after Meadows criticized then Fox News journalist Chris Wallace on December 6, 2020, after Wallace insisted that Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar refer to Biden as president-elect. “I’ve been at war with them all week,” Hannity reportedly said.

Key Background

The texts are the latest in a trove of records Meadows handed over to the January 6 committee before he stopped cooperating with its investigation into the Capitol rioting. It was already known that Hannity was part of a group of Fox News personalities that sent Meadows text messages on the day of the riot urging Trump to tell his supporters to go home, which the committee made public in December. The committee in January asked Hannity to voluntarily provide information as part of its probe, but it doesn’t appear that Hannity has spoken to investigators or given the committee any records.

Tangent

CNN also released texts between Meadows and Fox Business anchor Maria Bartiromo before she questioned Trump in his first interview after Election Day. Bartiromo reportedly sent Meadows a preview of her questioning along with a request to “Pls make sure he doesn’t go off on tangents.”