Over the Labor Day weekend, Fox News seemed to be in full-on panic mode as Donald Trump once again disrupted their carefully laid plans. The network’s latest stumble became evident when they brought on Corey Lewandowski, a controversial figure now back running Trump’s campaign despite his checkered past.

His appearance on Fox was a showcase of frustration as he tried to justify the debate rules that would mute Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris while the other speaks. Lewandowski’s agitated defense of these rules was clear evidence of the network’s struggle to maintain control over the narrative.

In one notable clip, Lewandowski’s anger boiled over as he criticized the rules, accusing Harris of trying to change the debate criteria last minute. This, according to him, was reminiscent of her inconsistent stances on other issues like border control and taxation. His frustration was palpable, signaling Fox News’s growing anxiety over Trump’s unpredictable nature and how it clashes with their desire for a more controlled and predictable political discourse.

Fox News didn’t stop there. They also hosted South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem for an odd discussion about the possibility of Western Minnesota seceding and joining South Dakota. This bizarre segment highlighted the network’s increasing reliance on sensationalism to keep their audience engaged, even if it means pushing implausible ideas.

The absurdity didn’t end with Lewandowski or Noem. Fox continued its pattern of fearmongering and misinformation, particularly on the issue of women’s reproductive rights. Lewandowski falsely claimed that women were killing babies after they were born, a grotesque distortion of reality meant to inflame and mislead. Such inflammatory rhetoric has become a staple of Fox’s programming, further eroding the network’s credibility.

In another segment, Fox host Mark Levin interviewed Trump in what can only be described as a surreal exchange. Levin lavished praise on Trump, calling him the most religious person he knows, in a conversation that felt more like North Korean-style propaganda than legitimate journalism. This fawning interview was a stark reminder of how far Fox News is willing to go to support Trump, even at the expense of their own integrity.

Fox also attempted to stoke fears about government regulation, with one host bizarrely claiming that efforts to protect children from dangerous chemicals and junk food would lead to eugenics. The host’s baseless assertions were a clear attempt to scare viewers with exaggerated, unfounded fears.

The weekend’s programming also saw Fox recycling guests and narratives, bringing back a retired police officer to repeat his story about being forced out of retirement by the Biden economy. This transparent attempt to present an “average American” struggling under current policies was yet another example of Fox’s manipulative tactics.

Finally, Trump’s interview with Levin saw the former president boasting about his criminal indictments, framing them as proof of his political strength. This astonishing display of arrogance, combined with Fox News’s willingness to give him a platform, underscored the deepening divide between the network’s public persona and the reality of its operations.

As Fox News continues to navigate the chaos Trump brings to their airwaves, it’s clear that the network is struggling to maintain its grip on its audience. The Labor Day weekend meltdown was just the latest sign that Fox News, much like the Republican Party, is increasingly unable to control the forces it once thought it could manage.