Trump Jr. and several others, including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), attended the Milwaukee event as surrogates for former President Donald Trump, who declined to participate.
Fox News, the host of the event, restricted access to the post-debate spin room to allow only representatives of candidates who took part, according to an internal memo circulated in the media earlier this week.
Exceptions were reportedly permitted for those who were invited in by a media organization.
However, Trump Jr. and Greene both accused the network of blocking their entry.
Trump Jr., accompanied by fiancée Kimberly Guilfoyle, told reporters at the event that security “won’t let me into the spin room.” He claimed in a separate interview that he initially walked in, but was asked by security to leave.
“Fox News is trying to censor and silence Trump supporters to protect their hand-picked establishment candidates,” he later posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. “That’s a big reason why their ratings are dying, while my father’s interview with Tucker Carlson is already at 93 million views!!!” he added, referring to a video released Wednesday by the former Fox News host.
Greene posted that “Fox News has just told us that we’re not allowed to come into the spin room,” accusing the network of “engaging in a censorship campaign for anyone that wants to advocate for President Trump who is overwhelmingly winning the Republican primary.”
Speaking to a right-wing news outlet on the ground, Greene also claimed that Fox News “would not allow myself, [Florida GOP Rep.] Matt Gaetz, any other Trump surrogates to go into the spin room.”
Several surrogates for Trump, including his son and Gaetz, were able to enter the room “pretty easily” after the debate, according to Semafor reporter David Weigel.
Fox News declined to comment.
Trump Jr. had announced his intention to attend the event in his father’s absence earlier this week. He and Guilfoyle had planned to make media appearances for the former president and promote internet shows that they host on Rumble, a video platform popular with conservatives.
Guilfoyle had railed against Fox News on Tuesday following reports about the spin room rule, calling it “pathetic messaging” from her former employer.
“I’d just like to see somebody try to stop Don Jr. and me from going someplace,” she said.
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