Fox News’ Chris Wallace tore into senior White House adviser Stephen Miller for refusing to directly answer his questions about President Donald Trump’s dealings with Ukraine during a heated interview Sunday.
Miller appeared on “Fox News Sunday” to defend the president against a whistleblower complaint filed last month by a US intelligence official that alleges the White House tried to cover up a July phone call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
During the exchange, Trump repeatedly pressured Zelensky to investigate Joe Biden, a potential opponent against Trump in the 2020 election, according to the complaint.
“I’ve worked in the ... federal government now for nearly three years ― I know what the Deep State looks like,” Miller said, referencing a far-right conspiracy theory that bureaucrats are working within the government to undermine Tump.
“I know the difference between a whistleblower and a deep state operative,” he continued. “This is a deep state operative, pure and simple. ... This is about, do you want a democracy in this country or do you want a deep state?”
Wallace pushed back, noting that Acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire testified before the House Intelligence Committee on Thursday that the whistleblower, who has not been publicly identified, had “acted in good faith” and “followed the law.”
“But enough with the rhetoric,” Wallace continued. “Let’s talk about some specific facts in this.”
He then asked Miller to explain why Trump used his personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, and two other private lawyers to dig up political dirt on Biden from the Ukrainian government.
Trump claims, without evidence, that then-Vice President Biden called for the removal of a notoriously corrupt prosecutor in Ukraine to hamper an investigation into a Ukrainian gas company where his son was a member of its board of directors. Ukrainian authorities have cleared Biden of any wrongdoing.
“One of two things is true, Chris,” Miller said. “Either the Ukrainian government or people associated with it possess real and actual knowledge of corrupt dealings by the Biden family or they don’t. If they do, is it not in the interest of all Americans to know what that is?”
Wallace said he planned to discuss Biden later in the interview but wanted an answer to the question at hand.
“I’ve asked you a specific question, I’d like a specific answer,” he said. “The president has the State Department, he’s got the CIA, he’s got the Pentagon, he’s got a number of other agencies. Why did he use three private lawyers to get information on Biden from the Ukrainian government rather than go through all of the agencies of the government?”
“Two different points: Number one ―” Miller began.
“How about answering my question?” Wallace interrupted. “Stephen, I’m asking you a direct question. ... If you don’t know, that’s an acceptable answer.”
Miller continued, “There’s two issues that were brought up in the phone call ―”
Wallace cut in again: “Why did he do it?”
Miller went on to claim that it’s “proper and natural” for Giuliani to look into Biden’s handling of the Ukrainian prosecutor.
“I’m simply asking you a question as to why the president didn’t use his government,” Wallace said. “You apparently aren’t going to answer that question.”
Watch the full exchange below: