Two different Fox News broadcasters described the ongoing efforts to get to the bottom of President Donald Trump's ties to Russia as a "coup."
Lou Dobbs, a Fox Business anchor, appeared Thursday night on Sean Hannity's program to accuse the media of aiding a "coup d'etat" aimed at destroying American values.
"This is an effort to subvert the administration of President Donald Trump," Dobbs told Hannity. "It is nothing less, it is an effort by the 'deep state' to roll over a duly elected president and a legitimate government, and to break the will of the American people. This is no longer about Republicans and Democrats and conservatives and liberals, this is about a full on assault by the left, the Democratic party to absolutely carry out a coup d'etat against President Trump aided by the left-wing media."
About an hour later, Jesse Watters lodged similarly dark accusations at Democrats aimed at defending Trump from the scandal engulfing his administration.
"Donald Trump's family has done more for this country than any Democratic elected official," said Watters, co-host of "The Five."
"He has provided more jobs in the real estate industry, in the fashion industry, in the hotel and casino industry, he has created more wealth for anybody in this entire country," Watters continued. "So to smear them as mafia or unpatriotic is absolutely shameful, and I think everybody needs to wake up and realize this family is a patriotic family -- and what's happening right now is a coup against the wealthy American people.
"He has created more jobs, real estate -- the hotel, the casino industry, he has created more wealth than anybody in this entire country," Watters continued. "You can smear that is mafia, unpatriotic, to do that is absolutely shameful. I think everybody needs to wake up and realize that his family as a patriotic family. What is happening right now is a coup against the will of the American people."
Correction: A previous version of this story quoted Watters as describing recent events as a "coup against the wealthy," based on a transcription error. The story and headline have been updated to accurately reflect his remarks.