Foreign Bribes, Killer Seashells and a Major Economic Downgrade

A condensed overview of 18 hours of Fox News for the week ending 5/18/25

May 21, 2025

Last week on Fox News the network overhyped an Instagram post of seashells by the seashore, downplayed a flagrant violation of the emoluments clause while barely mentioning that a major a financial services company downgraded the credit rating for the United States.

The network also spent an inordinate amount of time trashing the Democratic Party while promoting the idea of a vast conspiracy to cover up Joe Biden’s cognitive decline during his presidency.

Sean Hannity and Jesse Watters staunchly defended the president’s plans to accept a $400 million luxury jet from the Qatari government even while their co-hosts and Republican elected officials expressed their doubts.

Jessica Tarlov managed to blurt out during a live broadcast of “The Five” that Moody’s downgraded the United States credit rating, the first time in the agency’s history. This downgrade marks the first time the U.S. has lost its perfect credit rating from all three major credit rating agencies.

Anyone exclusively watching Fox News last week might have missed out on stories about the increasingly dire circumstances in Gaza, the Trump administration’s decision to end protected status for Afghani refugees and a report that found Russia was responsible for shooting down Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 over Ukraine over a decade ago.

Shows I watched last week:

Fox & Friends
The Five
Jesse Watters Primetime
Hannity - Wednesday & Thursday (Interview with Trump)
Special Report with Bret Baier - Friday (Interview with Trump)

Let’s Forget Saudi Arabia’s Role in Global Terrorism

The network celebrated Trump’s visit to the Middle East downplaying the brutality of the Saudi Arabian government as well as the relationship the country has to the September 11 terrorism attack.

Fox News hosts couldn’t contain their excitement as the president was surrounded by the trappings of extreme wealth built up by decades of the sale of crude oil. Trump was in his element surrounded by excess in every direction without a hint of protesters or political opposition.

The network presented Trump as the ultimate deal maker who would work his magic to bring home trillions of dollars in deals for American companies and the U.S. government.

The upbeat morning show “Fox & Friends,” was the only program that included even slight criticism for the Middle Eastern monarchies.

On Tuesday Brian Kilmeade mentioned the 9/11 terrorist attack.

“I understand one of the themes will be even though we are, we are 25 years removed from 9/11 will be the need to exterminate extremism and make sure it's defeated, throughout the Middle East. And I think the, UBS and obviously the bin Laden family was a main builder in Saudi Arabia for generations. And then Osama bin Laden, one of, I think, 18 kids, ends up being the architect of Al-Qaeda that did so much damage to the U.S. and caused so much havoc in the region. They know it germinated from there. And they also love the Wahhabi extremist doctrine that was taught in so many schools, I believe has been yanked out. And that could be part of the reason why Western powers feel much more comfortable investing there. Although I know a lot of 9/11 families are watching us right now and saying, don't give them a pass. There are things about what happened in 9/ 11, and there was how many hijackers from Saudi Arabia,” said Kilmeade.

“A majority,” said Lawerence Jones.

“And we’re not. We’re not. Yeah. And we're not, giving them a pass. This is a brand new government,” said Kilmeade.

“And Khashoggi,” said Ainsley Earhardt.

“It will always a stain on that country. And there's a lot of Americans that feel that way,” said Jones.

Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI appeared on the screen shaking hands with a Saudi leader.

“Sam, we have, another big business, man. Part of this delegation. But we got to do business with the Saudis. Because right now, as it relates to peace, they're the ones that want to negotiate. Yeah. Keeping some of the other Arab world at bay right now,” said Jones.

There’s a lot to unpack in that brief exchange.

Saudi Arabia and the September 11th attacks

Although the official report found no evidence that the Saudi Arabian government had any involvement with the September 11 terrorist attack, 15 of the 19 hijackers were Saudi Arabian nationals. Osama bin Laden, the founder and leader of the militant Islamic organization Al-Qaeda, was born in Saudi Arabia.

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, a close associate of bin Laden, was the key operational planner of the September 11 attacks. Al-Qaeda and bin Laden provided the personnel, finances, and logistical support to execute the terrorist attack.

According to the Government Accountability Office Saudi Arabia was a funding source for Al-Qaeda as there is evidence that some Saudi charities and individuals funneled money to the terrorist organization and Osama bin-Laden.

According to reporting by ProPublica from last year the FBI found potential connections between two low-level Saudi officials and the hijackers including Saudi diplomat Fahad al-Thumairy and Omar al-Bayoumi. Both men were suspected of intentionally providing support to the hijackers.

Thumairy and Bayoumi may not have known the hijackers were terrorists. In 2017, the FBI concluded that Bayoumi was a Saudi spy although his exact role in the Saudi government remains unclear. The FBI describes Bayoumi as a “coopted,” or part-time agent.

Bayoumi was investigated and interrogated by both U.S. intelligence officials and Scotland Yard terrorism investigators.

The new evidence came to light as part of lawsuit filed by the families of September 11 victims and a decision by the Biden administration to declassify documents related to the attack in 2022.

What is Wahhabi Extremist Doctrine?

Kilmeade mentioned that the Saudi government was removing Wahhabi extremist doctrine from its schools.

According to EBSCO

Wahhabism is a strict and puritanical sect of Islam that emerged in the 18th century, founded by Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab in present-day Saudi Arabia. This movement advocates for a literal interpretation of the Koran and enforces rigorous behavioral and belief standards among its followers. Wahhabism considers those who deviate from its teachings, including other Muslims with differing practices, to be infidels, often advocating for severe punishments for such transgressions.
The sect gained significant influence in the late 1970s through an alliance with the Saudi royal family, which sought to quell internal dissent and appease Wahhabi clerics. Wahhabism's doctrines have been linked to extremist groups, such as al-Qaeda and ISIS, which have committed violent acts in the name of their interpretation of Islam. Central to Wahhabi belief is the integration of religious and political governance, where acts deemed blasphemous or sinful are legally punishable.

According to reporting by Reuters there is evidence that the government has taken steps to combat extremism in its educational system.

The Assignation of Jamal Khashoggi

The only time Jamal Kashoggi was mentioned on Fox News last week was that one utterance of his name by Ainsley Earhardt.

Khashoggi was a Saudi Arabian American dissident journalist, author, columnist for Middle East Eye and The Washington Post, and a general manager and editor-in-chief of Al-Arab News Channel.

On October 2, 2018 Khashoggi entered the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul, Turkey to obtain documents for his upcoming marriage. Once inside the consulate he was murdered and dismembered, while he was still alive, by a group of men.

Within a month the CIA concluded that the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had ordered his assassination. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights released a 101-page report holding the State of Saudi Arabia responsible for the "premeditated extrajudicial execution" of Khashoggi.

On November 20, 2018 President Donald J. Trump rejected the CIA’s findings on Khashoggi’s death. He issued a statement saying "it could very well be that the Crown Prince had knowledge of this tragic event – maybe he did and maybe he didn't" and that "In any case, our relationship is with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Two days later, Trump denied that the CIA had even reached a conclusion.

Trump Really Wants a $400 Million Plane from Qatar

The Qatari government offered a gift of a $400 million ‘palace in the sky’ for Donald J. Trump to use in lieu of Air Force One. Boeing is currently behind schedule building a replacement for the 40-year-old plane used to transport the president of the United States.

Most legal experts believe the acceptance of such a gift would be a direct violation of the Foreign Emoluments Clause in the U.S. Constitution that forbids presidents from accepting gifts from foreign governments.

The folks on Fox News had mixed feelings about it. On Tuesday Sean Hannity made an odd argument to support Trump’s decision to accept the plane while speaking with Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA).

“Is the issue of the plane. Our largest military base here in the Middle East. Happens to be in Qatar. You know how much the Qatar has spent? Since 2003 on our military base? Over $8 billion,” said Hannity.

“Well, I think most Americans understand what's going on with the, with the Democratic Party. They're on their back foot, and they're trying to, their leader is Congresswoman Ocasio Cortez,” said Kennedy.

Kennedy went on to criticize Ocasio-Cortez without really discussing the proposed gift. It’s not unreasonable that any foreign government would shoulder part of the cost of a U.S. military base in its country.

On “Jesse Watters Primetime,” the Fox News host didn’t seem concerned about the gift while he spoke with former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy.

“You know, Democrats are throwing billions of dollars all over the world. We caught a lot of it. Why is that? That is that okay? And they can't throw money our way,” said Watters.

McCarthy also dodged the question.

“Yes, I do think the answer here, though, is Boeing needs to get the new Air Force Ones done,” said McCarthy.

The next day on “The Five,” the Fox News host simply known as Kennedy expressed her doubts.

“I don't think the plane is that great of an idea to accept, because I think that if we are forcing Democrats and the Biden family, which was famous for decades of grift, and if we're holding them to account, then I think it's a political mistake to be doing something that could be construed as the same thing.”

Harold Ford Jr., a moderate on “The Five” was also concerned about it.

“You take a plane from a group of people that we've said around this table. I've heard all of us say, the Qataris, they harbored Hamas. I didn't hear him at all say, I'll accept this plane. If you guys renounce this and tell me you'll never do this again.”

Greg Gutfeld pointed out one of the most obvious problems with accepting the plane.

“Would you fly a jet from Qatar? You got to take the whole thing apart. You have to take every single piece apart and look at it.”

Later that night Jesse Watters spoke to former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich about the proposed deal.

“I mean, like this plane, it's like all they talk about is a plane. What's going on there?,” said Watters.

Gingrich also avoided giving a straight answer.

“ Look, I used to say that when Teddy Kennedy got awake, he would say, the answer is I'm voting yes. What's the question?

On Friday on “The Five” Jessica Tarlov called it a bribe and noted that Joe Biden was offered the same gift but refused it.

Sen. Rand Paul Brings Up the Emoluments Clause

On Monday’s episode of “Jesse Watters Primetime” Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) did not hold back when asked about the plane.

“Well, it's it's a little bit different than a gimme, but. And the Constitution in Article 2 talks about the president can't take emoluments or gifts from foreign leaders. And so there is a provision in the Constitution says you can't do this. And so the question is can you do it if it's only for official purposes. If it came to someone in Congress, they can vote in the ethics committee, can look at it. With this there will have to be some kind of adjudication. This has never been done. And it's not like a ride on the plane. We're talking about the entire $400 million plan. I think it's not worth the appearance of impropriety, whether it's improper or not. I don't think it's worth it. The other problem with Qatar is I've spent time trying not to sell weapons to Qatar because they have human rights violations of their people. Many of their people are prevented from participating. The government and some of the minority religious folks in Qatar are treated poorly. And so I really haven't been a big fan and I wonder if our ability to judge their human rights record would be clouded by the fact that this large gift. So I wouldn't take it.”

According to the U.S. Department of State Qatar does have a poor record in terms of human rights.

Significant human rights issues included credible reports of: enforced disappearance; arbitrary arrest; political prisoners; serious restrictions on free expression, including the existence of criminal libel laws; substantial interference with the freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of association, including overly restrictive laws on the organization, funding, or operation of nongovernmental organizations and civil society organizations; restrictions on freedom of movement; inability of citizens to change their government peacefully in free and fair elections; serious and unreasonable restrictions on political participation; extensive gender-based violence; existence of laws criminalizing consensual same-sex sexual conduct, which were not systematically enforced; and the prohibition of independent trade unions and significant or systematic restrictions on workers’ freedom of association.

The Department of State included that there were no significant changes in the human rights situation in Qatar during the year.

Trump’s Economy is Booming - Except it Isn’t

On Tuesday Dana Perino on “The Five” was excited about recent economic news for the Trump admin

“Been a pretty good week for the president's economic agenda. Aside from that. The inflation number was good today. The one of the big banks, JP Morgan, really scaled back its projection for a recession. After that China deal got announced for 90 days. And House Republicans are actually really moving forward on the big, beautiful bill that could get done. So, I would say it's a pretty good week and it's only Tuesday.”

On Friday producers of “The Five” included a clip of the president speaking from Doha, Qatar.

“It's a very special trip. And I can tell you that our country is hot. It's hot as a pistol. It's never been so hot. And if you go back, six months, it was the exact opposite,” said President Trump.

Martha MacCallum also praised Trump.

“Fresh off his masterclass in Middle East dealmaking, President Trump is getting more good news that is likely to drive Jim Comey and his other critics crazy.”

Jesse Watters also bragged about the president.

“Liberals hate to say it, but President Trump is on a roll. Turbans riding high in the polls after delivering a middle East masterclass. Jessica bringing home trillions in new US investments from the Gulf states.”

Jessica Tarlov, a liberal voice on “The Five,” hit back with a dose of reality.

“You know, you saw the CEO from Walmart, I presume, saying that the prices are going to go up. So we'll wait for that. And while we were in the commercial break, Moody's downgraded our credit for the first time in the agency's history. So all good news all around Masterclass.”

That night on “Special Report with Bret Baier,” Fox News correspondent added more context.

“And Moody's is downgrading the U.S. credit rating by a notch. It says, “successive administrations have failed to agree on measures to reverse the trend of large annual fiscal deficits and growing interest costs.”

Killer Seashells

Last week James Comey, a former director of the FBI, posted an image of seashells on a beach that formed the numbers ‘8647.’

Fox News decided that the image was tantamount to a threat against the president’s life interpreting the numbers as 86 for kill and 47 for Trump as he’s both the 45th and 47th president of the United States.

On Thursday it was a major breaking story on “Jesse Watters Primetime.”

“Fox News alert. A major investigation has just been launched into the former FBI director, James Comey, for posting a threat to the life of the president of the United States, Donald Trump. Comey, not a fan of Trump, posted a picture of shells on a beach that say, 8647.”

Later during the same program Clay Travis of Outkick thought he come up with a major scoop.

“I think investigated thoroughly. And also just a few, posts down from the eight, six, four, seven was his endorsement of Kamala Harris and Tim Walls, which he did with a sea shell.”

I went to find this image myself and found a photograph of a larger clam shell painted blue and yellow with the words “Vote Harris” painted in white.

Watters also interviewed Tulsi Gabbard, U.S. director of national intelligence, about the seashell scandal.

“Do you believe Comey should be in jail?”asked Watters.

“I do. Any other person with a position of influence that he has people who take very seriously what that what a guy of his stature, his experience and what the propaganda media has built him up to be. I'm very concerned for the president's life. We've already seen assassination attempts. I'm very concerned for his life. And James Comey, in my view, should be held accountable and put behind bars for this,” said Gabbard.

The next day on “The Five” Watters either had the world’s worst researchers or he completely fabricated things regarding the number 86.

“Any cop, any prosecutor knows the code for homicide. Eight six isn't just a mafia slang, it's a military slang - 86TO and a rotary phone. He was a Marine. He obviously knew what he was doing here,” said Watters.

Police codes are not standardized so there is some variation depending on the jurisdiction.

Is 10-86 police code for homicide?

According to Zip Scanners the code 10-86 means ‘officer on duty.’
I found the same explanation in a video for the YouTube channel for County Office Law.
On Egolink.com 10-86 was translated as ‘Personnel on duty.’

What is the police code for homicide?

According to police.1.com 10-67 means ‘report of a death.’
On the City of Winston-Salem website under the entry for police codes 10-67 also means ‘report of a death.’
On Egolink.com 10-67 was also ‘report of a death.’
In California the police code for murder is 187 according to Federallawyers.com
The YouTube channel for County Office Law also explained that 187 was a police code for murder or homicide.

What does 86 mean in the military?

Article 86 of the U.S. Uniform Code of Military Justice concerns Absence Without Leave, or AWOL.

According to History.com:

The term “86” has woven its way into American slang, typically meaning to get rid of or refuse service. And while its exact origins are murky, its use dates back to the 1930s.
Merriam-Webster notes that the slang term dates to the 1930s when soda jerks used “86” as a noun for something sold out. “When a soda popper says the tuna fish salad is eighty-six, he means there isn’t any more,” the New York Herald Tribune reported in 1941.
By the 1950s, according to Merriam-Webster, “86” became a verb, commonly referring to tossing drunken customers out of bars.
Although Merriam-Webster notes some equate “86” with ‘to kill,” it adds this use is infrequent: “We do not enter this sense, due to its relative recency and sparseness of use.”

Trump Rambled On About the Assassination Attempt in Butler, PA

On Friday Bret Baier interviewed Trump from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Near the end of the interview Baier asked him about the attempted assassination attempt on his life in Butler, Pennsylvania.

I am not endorsing any alternative theories regarding the shooting. I’m merely presenting this unedited as an example of Trump’s addled mind

Baier: You've had two assassination attempts, one obviously, where you got hit by that bullet in Butler. There's a lot of frustration that we still don't know about that shooter and Butler. And we don't have know about his communications. We get stonewalled all the time asking questions about it. Is there frustration on your part? Will we get transparency? Well, we know the bottom line story.

Trump: It's very interesting because we have great people. I think Pam is incredible. I think Kash is incredible. And they're doing a great job. They're being recognized as doing a great job. I was given an explanation early on. You know, sort of a little bit pre-them. And I thought it was strange. You know, the one guy had 18 cell phones. Okay. I have a lot of cell phones, but I have like two. You know, I call that a lot. And I think I probably make more calls than him. It's like, that's all I do. And I had to why does somebody have 18. Another one. The first one and one from Butler. He had three apps, very unusual apps, and two of them were foreign apps. And then he ends up with a a white shoe lawyer, meaning a super lawyer from Pittsburgh, you know, in the big city. And they live outside Butler in a little place. Where do they get this lawyer that would represent IBM and would represent, ExxonMobil?

Baier: You're the president. Can’t you find out?

Trump: No, no, I know, I know, I know. I'm relying on my people to tell me what it is. You know, we have deep seated craziness in this country, and I'm relying on my people. And so far, and they’re good, but so far, they. And in this case, it's Secret Service. They tell me it's fine, but it's a little hard to believe, to be honest with you. Okay. It's a little bit hard to believe as I get that throbbing feeling.

Trump mixed up two stories in that short exchange. Ryan Wesley Routh, the second man who attempted to kill President Trump had multiple cell phones. He was apprehended by police.

The first shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, was shot and killed a Secret Service Counter Sniper Team member on the scene in Butler, Pennsylvania. The FBI was able to access and read data on Crooks’ phone as well as other electronic devices. Experts at the FBI were also able to access the encrypted mobile apps mentioned by Trump.

Stories Fox News Ignored

Every week I compare the hours I’ve watched on Fox News to five hours of the PBS News Hour. The following list are some of the stories that PBS covered that Fox News did not. Source - PBS News Hour transcripts. This list has been slightly truncated due to space.

Updates in the Israel-Hamas war
- A wave of Israeli airstrikes pounded the Gaza Strip. Health officials there say the attacks killed at least 70 people, including nearly two dozen children. In Northern Gaza, victims were carried off in ambulances. A local hospital said it received almost 50 bodies by midday. One of them was an 8-month-old baby. Israel had warned it would target Hamas infrastructure in the area, including rocket launchers. Witnesses say civilians bore the brunt of the attacks. (PBS News Hour)
- Israeli airstrikes killed dozens of people across Gaza. Hospital officials in the southern city of Khan Yunis say at least 54 people were killed in a series of attacks, while, in the north, explosions reverberated in Jabalia, where Gaza's civil defense says 13 people were killed. It all comes on the anniversary of the Nakba, Arabic for catastrophe, when in 1948 hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were forcibly displaced from what is now Israel. (PBS News Hour)
- The IDF says it struck two Houthi-controlled ports in Yemen and launched dozens of airstrikes across Gaza. Israeli officials say it's part of a pressure campaign to get Hamas to release the remaining hostages. (PBS News Hour)
The Trump administration is officially ending so-called temporary protected status, or TPS, for thousands of Afghans living in the U.S. That includes those evacuated after America's chaotic 2021 withdrawal. The United Nations has said that the situation in the Taliban-run nation continues to deteriorate. Some 9,000 Afghans currently fall under TPS, which allows those facing war or climate disasters at home to live and work in the U.S. The termination takes effect on July 12. (PBS News Hour)
Russia rejected the findings from an international aviation body that said it was responsible for shooting down Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 over Ukraine more than a decade ago. Nearly 300 people were killed. The ruling from the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization could open the door for victims' families to seek compensation. A separate 2016 investigation found that the jet was shot down by separatist rebels who were using a Russian missile system. Moscow denies any involvement. (PBS News Hour)
The director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, has fired the top two officials leading the National Intelligence Council. That's the group that analyzes security threats to the U.S. and provides assessments to the president and other top policymakers. The firings of Michael Collins and his deputy, Maria Langan-Riekhof, came after the group wrote an assessment that contradicted the Trump administration's rationale for deporting alleged Venezuelan gang members. (PBS News Hour)
The number of overdose deaths in the U.S. dropped last year by the largest amount ever recorded. According to CDC data published last week, 80,000 people died from an overdose in 2024. That's down 27% from the year before.
Experts say increased availability of the overdose reversal drug naloxone, plus expanded addiction treatment services, may have contributed to the decline, though they also point out that the annual overdose deaths are still higher than they were before the COVID-19 pandemic. (PBS News Hour)
The Environmental Protection Agency announced a rollback of Biden-era regulations on PFAS chemicals in drinking water systems. The EPA estimates more than 158 million Americans are exposed to these "forever chemicals" through water. (PBS News Hour)
A report from the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism found threats and calls for impeachment against judges have risen by 327% between May 2024 and March 2025. Judge Esther Salas’s son was killed by a disgruntled lawyer posing as a delivery driver at her home, according to police. Salas joined the PBS News Hour to discuss the crisis. (PBS News Hour)
A federal judge says the Trump administration has failed to provide sufficient information regarding her order to return Kilmar Abrego Garcia back to the U.S. He was deported to El Salvador in March, which government officials admitted was an administrative error. (PBS News Hour)
Last week, President Trump visited three Middle Eastern nations where his family has deep business ties. Over the past month, billions of dollars have poured into Trump-owned companies. It has revived longstanding questions about whether the financial windfalls are influencing policy. (PBS News Hour)
One of the architects of America's hydrogen bomb has died. Richard Garwin was only 23 when he built the world's first fusion bomb. He later advocated for arms control, worked on early technologies that led to things like touch screen monitors, and advised presidents from Eisenhower to Obama. In the fall of 2016, it was Obama who awarded him the Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian award. Richard Garwin was 97 years old. (PBS News Hour)