Fox News has stated that Republican front-runner Donald Trump has an obsession with their host Megyn Kelly, with whom he has clashed on several occasions in the past.
In a statement released on Friday and obtained by Mediate, the broadcaster backed their presenter Megyn Kelly in light of growing criticism from Trump in recent days and weeks.
Trump has referred to Kelly as "crazy" in a number of tweets, targeting her in particular in his clashes with the station.
Can't watch Crazy Megyn anymore. Talks about me at 43% but never mentions that there are four people in race. With two people, big & over!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) 16 March 2016
The statement said that "Donald Trump's vitriolic attacks against Megyn Kelly and his extreme, sick obsession with her is beneath the dignity of a presidential candidate who wants to occupy the highest office in the land.
"Megyn is an exemplary journalist and one of the leading anchors in America — we’re extremely proud of her phenomenal work and continue to fully support her throughout every day of Trump’s endless barrage of crude and sexist verbal assaults".
The statement comes on the back of an advertisement released by an anti-Trump PAC that highlighted the offensive comments which Trump has made about women, including his remarks after a debate aired on Fox News that he had been targeted by Kelly and she had "blood coming out of her wherever" during their exchanges.
Trump took to Twitter to respond and state that he is responsible for keeping Kelly's ratings up, and that she is constantly attacking him on the air.
If crazy @megynkelly didn't cover me so much on her terrible show, her ratings would totally tank. She is so average in so many ways!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) 19 March 2016
Everybody should boycott the @megynkelly show. Never worth watching. Always a hit on Trump! She is sick, & the most overrated person on tv.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) 18 March 2016