President Donald Trump made a bizarre comment about Fox News host Sean Hannity seconds after breaking the news that a suspect in the killing of Charlie Kirk has been taken into custody.
The president announced the arrest Friday morning on Fox & Friends. “We have him,” Trump declared, adding that there is a “high degree of certainty” that it is the correct person.
According to the New York Post, the man in custody was named as 22-year-old Utah native Tyler Robinson.
“So, you have breaking news, don’t you? You always have breaking news, Ainsley,” the president added to Fox & Friends co-host Ainsley Earhardt.
“Sean’s going to be very disappointed that we’re not doing it on his show.”
Earhardt responded by saying that Hannity “will be very appreciative of the police officers” who arrested the suspect. “I think so, they did a great job,” the president responded.
Earlier in the segment, Trump said he was given the update himself just five minutes before walking into the studio in New York City.
“I think, with a high degree of certainty, we have him in custody,” Trump said. He explained that the suspect was given up by his own family.
Two senior law enforcement officials confirmed that detail to NBC News.
“Somebody who was very close to him turned him in,” the president said. He added that a family member recognized the suspect after seeing grainy images released by the FBI. “They said, ‘Hmm, that’s him.’”
Sprinkling some doubt, he added: “I’m always subject to be corrected… I’m just giving you based on what I’m hearing.”
The president added that he hopes the shooter faces capital punishment. “I hope he gets the death penalty,” he said.
Kirk, 31, was killed by a single shot fired from about 200 yards away from where he was speaking at Utah Valley University in Orem on Wednesday.
