Fox & Friends used an MSNBC report to promote a border wall. MSNBC’s correspondent called them out for getting it wrong.

MSNBC's Jacob Soboroff: “CBP says in our full story, that FOX didn't play, 'we don't have any intentions of fencing off the entire SW border. It's not necessary.'”

Written by Media Matters Staff

Published

Fox & Friends selectively aired parts of an MSNBC report about prototypes for the border wall President Donald Trump wants to construct along the U.S.-Mexico border, claiming that the report “accidentally showed why a wall is needed” because it showed asylum-seekers scaling a part of a fence that already exists on the border. Later, future Fox prime-time host Laura Ingraham commented that “MSNBC actually kind of stumbled into reporting on the border.”

In a series of tweets, MSNBC correspondent Jacob Soboroff ripped the segment, noting that the Fox hosts “got it so very wrong” and told “many lies” about the MSNBC package. As Soboroff pointed out, Fox & Friends only aired “38 seconds of a 3 minute report.” The full report -- which was a pre-taped package, and not, as Fox reported, aired live -- actually showed that the asylum-seekers sought to turn themselves into Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) and showed CBP saying that they “don’t have any intentions of fencing off the entire southwest border. It’s not necessary.”

From the October 24 edition of Fox & Friends:

STEVE DOOCY (CO-HOST): You know those great big panels, the test panels of the new wall, they had them up near San Diego. And there was an MSNBC reporter doing a report on just those.

BRIAN KILMEADE (CO-HOST): These were prototypes of these walls, which will eventually go up if we can finally get financing for them. At which time, when doing it, you see this reporter, Jacob Soberoff, noticed something happening by that wall.

AINSLEY EARHARDT (CO-HOST): He asks -- are we going to watch the video? Listen to this.

[…]

KILMEADE: Yeah, so it turns out we might need that wall. How about a better wall? It turns out.

EARHARDT: How about if you’re going to jump the wall, which you shouldn't do, don't do it when national cameras are filming you. 

DOOCY: MSNBC accidentally showed why a wall is needed. 

EARHARDT: Exactly. 

DOOCY: So, way to go. 

Thread: So @foxandfriends trashed our report from border wall prototypes b/c asylum-seekers jumped as we were there. https://t.co/6z7zRdERLt

— Jacob Soboroff (@jacobsoboroff) October 24, 2017

.@SteveDoocy starts by saying our report “accidentally proved why Donald Trump was right. We need a wall,” which is the first of many lies.

— Jacob Soboroff (@jacobsoboroff) October 24, 2017

First lie: they play 38 seconds of a 3 minute report & say “DURING MSNBC LIVE REPORT.” It was a *taped spot* & we chose to include jumpers. pic.twitter.com/jz2FR91gIE

— Jacob Soboroff (@jacobsoboroff) October 24, 2017

.@kilmeade then quips “you might as well have a trampoline on the other side.” Which makes no sense. Then @David_Bossie drops the whopper.

— Jacob Soboroff (@jacobsoboroff) October 24, 2017

Bossie: “MSNBC went down there to do one story & came away w another... president's right we need a wall & that's the exact reason why.”

— Jacob Soboroff (@jacobsoboroff) October 24, 2017

There's nothing “dishonest” about our story. As always we stick w facts on ground. Like 1) those were asylum-seekers *trying* to get caught.

— Jacob Soboroff (@jacobsoboroff) October 24, 2017

2) CBP says in our full story, that FOX didn't play, “we don't have any intentions of fencing off the entire SW border. It's not necessary.” pic.twitter.com/jCrl2JHGvh

— Jacob Soboroff (@jacobsoboroff) October 24, 2017

3) They also left out the part of the report saying apprehensions along entire border are about to set record lows *without* Trump's wall. pic.twitter.com/LP4EmgOCoW

— Jacob Soboroff (@jacobsoboroff) October 24, 2017

Then: REPORTER'S REAL WORLD LESSON on screen, like our story proves need for wall. What I heard from CBP is why we don't need full wall. pic.twitter.com/uWJeQpSahX

— Jacob Soboroff (@jacobsoboroff) October 24, 2017

They also, in text, call our story BORDER HIT PIECE. Laughable. The takeaway is @CustomsBorder is *doing great* at keeping crossings low! pic.twitter.com/B5W8kNmpvr

— Jacob Soboroff (@jacobsoboroff) October 24, 2017

I could keep going but you should just watch our full report to see why @foxandfriends got it so very wrong. /thread https://t.co/Dmu4ABUv8S

— Jacob Soboroff (@jacobsoboroff) October 24, 2017