Donald Trump came to the defense of Bill O’Reilly after multiple allegations of sexual harassment surfaced, and the president’s critics have taken to Twitter to call him out.
“Trump says O’Reilly shouldn’t have settled cuz he didn’t ‘do anything wrong,’” wrote “Two and a Half Men’s” Jon Cryer in a tweet on Wednesday. “So why did Trump settle Trump U?”
Other Hollywood luminaries and insiders, including Cher, actor Billy Baldwin and “Modern Family” writer-producer Danny Zuker, slammed POTUS for supporting the embattled Fox News host. (See tweets below.)
“Trump launches Sexual Assault Awareness Month by defending Bill O’Reilly,” wrote Baldwin.
A number of Trump’s critics have pointed out that the president himself has been the subject of more than a dozen sexual assault accusations. In October, the Washington Post published an 11-year old “Access Hollywood” tape in which Trump could be heard bragging about sexually assaulting women.
“Surprise surprise, Donald is defending serial harasser Bill O’Reilly. Birds of a feather,” actor George Takei tweeted.
During an interview in the Oval Office on Wednesday morning, Trump went out of his way to defend O’Reilly, telling the New York Times: “I think he’s a person I know well — he is a good person.”
“I think he shouldn’t have settled; personally I think he shouldn’t have settled,” Trump went on to say. “Because you should have taken it all the way. I don’t think Bill did anything wrong.”
On Saturday, The New York Times reported that Fox News and O’Reilly have ponied up a whopping $13 million to settle five sexual harassment claims against the TV host. Two of the cases were previously known, including a high-profile 2004 settlement with former producer Andrea Mackris and a settlement in January with former on-air host Juliet Huddy. O’Reilly has denied all allegations.
So far, O’Reilly has mostly stayed mum on the scandal, only releasing a statement on his site Saturday denying the accusations. But that seems to have done little to quell advertiser’s jitters. At least 20 of his corporate sponsors announced they were dropping “The O’Reilly Factor” in the last 48 hours.
Trump says O'Reilly shouldn't have settled cuz he didnt "do anything wrong."
So why did Trump settle Trump U? https://t.co/5IHIMJpXQ4
— Jon Cryer (@MrJonCryer) April 5, 2017
Trump launches Sexual Assault Awareness Month by defending Bill O'Reilly.
MAGA..you elected a man that is delusional & incompetent.#Resist pic.twitter.com/1gw6xcXncr
— Billy Baldwin (@BillyBaldwin) April 5, 2017
Surprise surprise, Donald is defending serial harasser Bill O'Reilly. Birds of a feather…
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) April 5, 2017
Today's news in brief: Trump blames Obama for Syrian attack but not Putin AND marks Sex Assault Awareness Month by defending Bill O'Reilly.
— Danny Zuker (@DannyZuker) April 5, 2017
?S COME 2BILL O’REILLY’S
DEFENSE‼️NO SURPRISE?
THEY BOTH ?SAME SPORT‼️
?TOOK?& O’REILLY TOOK?IN
??GRABBING,AT
“SEXUAL HARASSMENT“OLYMPICS— Cher (@cher) April 5, 2017